The Amazing Race Canada 2 is the second season of The Amazing Race Canada, a Canadian reality competition show based on the American series The Amazing Race. Hosted by Jon Montgomery, it featured eleven teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, in a race across Canada and the world. The grand prize included a cash payout, two Chevrolet Silverado "High Country Edition" trucks, free gasoline for life from Petro-Canada, and the ability to fly for free anywhere for a year with Air Canada. This season visited seven provinces, one territory, and two additional countries and travelled over during twelve legs. Starting in Jasper National Park, racers travelled through Alberta, British Columbia, Hong Kong, Macau, the Yukon, Manitoba, France, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Ontario before finishing in Ottawa. A new twist introduced in this season was international travel. The season premiered on CTV on July 8, 2014, with the season finale airing on September 21, 2014.
Best friends Michael Henry and Peter Schmalz were the winners of this season, while Canada women's national ice hockey teammates Natalie Spooner and Meaghan Mikkelson finished in second place, and bartenders and co-workers Ryan Steele and Rob Goddard finished in third place.
Production Development and filming
On September 16, 2013, CTV announced that the show was renewed for the second season during the first season's reunion special.
Filming for this season began on April 26, 2014. Unlike the first season, this season travelled to destinations outside of Canada. Teams were spotted in Hong Kong in early May 2014.
Casting Casting began in November 2013, with an online site for submission of applications and audition videos.
Marketing Air Canada and Chevrolet retained their sponsorship from the first season. New prizes included a gas supply from Petro-Canada and each cash from Scotiabank.
Broadcasting After episode 6, a special mid-season reunion/recap, entitled "After the Race," aired. Hosted by James Duthie, the program reviewed the events of the first six episodes with the first five eliminated teams. A second "After the Race" special, again hosted by Duthie, aired immediately after the season finale with all the teams present.
Cast
The first three teams were revealed on June 17, 2014, with the remaining teams announced on June 18 and June 20. The contestants included ice hockey players and gold medalists Natalie Spooner and Meaghan Mikkelson, ballet dancer Rex Harrington, and comedian Ryan Steele. Alain Chanoine proposed to Audrey Tousignant-Maurice at the Pit Stop of Leg 8, and she accepted.
ContestantsAgeRelationshipHometownStatus 29Childhood FriendsMarkham, OntarioEliminated 1st(in Colwood, British Columbia) 29 40MarriedHalifax, Nova ScotiaWithdrew(in Tofino, British Columbia) 41 28MarriedToronto, OntarioEliminated 3rd(in Kowloon City, Hong Kong) 31 19Mother & Son Winnipeg, ManitobaEliminated 4th(in Whitehorse, Yukon) 39 51EngagedAshburn, OntarioEliminated 5th(in Winnipeg, Manitoba) 47 42Twin BrothersTerrebonne, QuebecEliminated 6th(in Paris, France) 42 32Dating (Legs 1−8)Engaged (Legs 8−10)Saint-Hubert, QuebecEliminated 7th(in North Rustico, Prince Edward Island) 31 32SiblingsTerrace, British ColumbiaEliminated 8th(in Cape Enrage, New Brunswick) 26 36Bartenders/Co-WorkersVancouver, British ColumbiaThird place 24 23Teammates Toronto, OntarioRunners-up 29 Calgary, Alberta 24Best Friends Seguin, OntarioWinners 24 Parry Sound, Ontario
Future appearances In 2023, Mickey Henry competed on the first season of The Traitors Canada.
Results The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order. A placement with a dagger () indicates that the team was eliminated. An placement with a double-dagger () indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg, and had to perform a Speed Bump task in the following leg. An italicized and underlined placement indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop, but there was no rest period at the Pit Stop and all teams were instructed to continue racing. A indicates that the team won the Fast Forward. A indicates that the team used an Express Pass on that leg to bypass one of their tasks. A indicates that the team used the U-Turn and a indicates the team on the receiving end of the U-Turn.
+Team placement (by leg) Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12Mickey & Pete 7th3rd5th6th6th3rd3rd3rd2nd3rd2nd1stNatalie & Meaghan1st1st1st1st3rd5th1st1st3rd2nd1st2ndRyan & Rob9th7th4th2nd2nd6th5th4th3rd3rdSukhi & Jinder6th6th8th4th4th4th2nd1st1st Alain & Audrey2nd2nd6th7th1st2nd5th4th4th Pierre & Michel8th5th3rd5th5th1st2nd Rex & Bob3rd9th7th3rd7th Cormac & Nicole4th4th2nd4th Laura & Jackie5th8th Jen & Shawn10th Shahla & Nabeela Notes
Race summary
Leg 1 (Alberta → British Columbia)
Episode 1: "What Does It Take to Get a Cup of Tea Around Here?" (July 8, 2014) Prizes: Two round-trip tickets to any South American destination served by Air Canada, CA$2,000, and two Express Passes (awarded to Natalie & Meaghan) Eliminated: Shahla & Nabeela Locations Jasper National Park, Alberta (Columbia Icefield) (Starting Line) Calgary (WinSport Canada Olympic Park – Frank King Day Lodge) Calgary (Calgary International Airport) → Victoria, British Columbia Sidney (Victoria International Airport – Totem Poles) (Unaired) Sidney (Viscount Aero Centre) Victoria (Willows Beach) Victoria (The Fairmont Empress) Victoria → Colwood (CFB Esquimalt – Damage Control Training Facility Galiano) Colwood (Fisgard Lighthouse) Episode summary Teams began from the Columbia Icefield before driving to WinSport Canada Olympic Park, which had their next clue. Teams then had to take an elevator to the top of a ski jump and then ride North America's fastest zipline, "The Monster", to receive their next clue from Olympian Helen Upperton. Teams were instructed to travel to Victoria, British Columbia, on one of three flights each departing one hour apart, and also received a Scotiabank American Express card that would serve as their source of money for the rest of the race. At the Viscount Aero Centre, teams had to search a vintage 1930's Fleet Model 10D biplane for their first Roadblock clue. In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to tandem skydive with an instructor onto Willows Beach, where they reunited with their partner before receiving their next clue. After the first Roadblock, teams had to travel to The Fairmont Empress and search for their next clue by an Arbutus tree. In this leg's second Roadblock, the team member who did not perform the previous Roadblock had to receive an etiquette lesson from hotel staff before serving afternoon tea to the patrons at The Fairmont Empress and reciting the menu options from memory in order to receive their next clue. After the second Roadblock, teams had to travel by Royal Canadian Navy rigid inflatable boat to CFB Esquimalt and complete two disaster training exercises. First, teams had to use a hose to knock down three weighted buckets in 30 seconds and then suppress a simulated helicopter fire in order to retrieve a casualty, which was unaired. Then, teams had to stop a simulated flooding ship from "sinking" by plugging nine gaps in the ship's hull in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: Fisgard Lighthouse in Colwood. Additional note Once in Victoria, teams had to search outside the airport for totem poles in order to find their next clue. This segment was unaired.
Leg 2 (British Columbia)
Episode 2: "There's a Fish in My Pants" (July 15, 2014) Prizes: Two round-trip tickets to Hong Kong and CA$2,000 (awarded to Natalie & Meaghan) Withdrew: Jen & Shawn Locations Victoria (The Fairmont Empress) Victoria (Victoria International Airport) → Tofino Tofino (Wickaninnish Beach) Ucluelet (Ucluelet Harbour Seafoods) Tofino (North Chesterman Beach – Surf Shack) Tofino (South Chesterman Beach) Tofino (Olsen Road – Crab Dock) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel on one of three flights to Tofino. Once there, team had to drive to Wickaninnish Beach, which had their next clue. This season's first Detour was a choice between Sharp Knives or Sharp Eyes. Both Detour options required teams to drive to Ucluelet Harbour. In Sharp Knives, teams had to watch a demonstration and then correctly fillet at least of rockfish in order to receive their next clue. Teams had a limited amount of fish. If teams ran out without reaching the target weight, they had to switch Detour options or receive a penalty. In Sharp Eyes, teams had to sort through of assorted Pacific rockfish and separate them into five bins in order to receive their next clue. After the Detour, teams had to drive to North Chesterman Beach and find the surf shack with their next clue. Teams then had to change into wetsuits and then ride from the surf shack to the beach on bicycles with a surfboard. Once at the beach, one team member had to surf a wave for at least three seconds while their partner videoed their effort in order to receive their next clue. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to use driftwood and fishing nets to construct a traditional Tofino beach chair that could hold the judge's weight in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the crab dock on Olsen Road.
Additional notes Surfer Mathea Olin appeared as the Pit Stop greeter for this leg. Shawn dislocated his shoulder during the surfing challenge. After a hospital visit, Jen & Shawn chose to withdraw from the race.
Leg 3 (British Columbia → Hong Kong)
Episode 3: "Snakes and Liars" (July 22, 2014) Prizes: Two round-trip tickets to any Chinese destination served by Air Canada and CA$2,000 (awarded to Natalie & Meaghan) Eliminated: Laura & Jackie Locations Tofino (Pacific Rim National Park Reserve) Vancouver → Hong Kong Hong Kong (Tung Chung → Ngong Ping) Hong Kong (Ngong Ping Village) Hong Kong (Tian Tan Buddha) Hong Kong (Golden Dragon Statue) Hong Kong (Bo Innovation & Wan Chai Wet Market Old Wan Chai Swimming Pool Platform) Hong Kong (Canal Road Flyover) (Unaired) Hong Kong (She Wong Lam Snake Restaurant) Hong Kong (Avenue of Stars – Statue of Bruce Lee) Hong Kong (Kowloon Walled City Park) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Hong Kong. Once there, teams had to travel by cable car to Ngong Ping. After teams got off the cable car, they had to sign up for a morning blessing. The next day, teams were blessed by the monks before climbing up to the Tian Tan Buddha, where they found their next clue directing them to the Golden Dragon Statue. This leg's Detour was a choice between Master Chef or Kung Fu Master. In Master Chef, teams had to go to Bo Innovation, where they found MasterChef Canada judge Alvin Leung, who handed them a shopping list of ten items. Teams then had to go to Wan Chai Wet Market to purchase the items. Once Leung confirmed that teams bought the correct items, he handed them their next clue. In Kung Fu Master, teams had to suit up in a traditional martial arts uniform and then perform a difficult kung fu routine to the satisfaction of the kung fu master in order to receive their next clue. Natalie & Meaghan used their Express Pass to bypass this Detour. After the Detour, teams travelled to the Canal Road Flyover, which went unaired, and then found their next clue at She Wong Lam Snake Restaurant. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member was greeted by a snake master, who chose a serpent to show them. The master then took out the snake's gallbladder and the team member had to drink a shot of the snake's bile. They then had to consume a bowl of snake meat soup in order to receive their next clue.