The Amazing Race 10, Episode 9 First Class and Cargo Class Awards: We Interrupt This Race…

The Amazing Race left us hanging this week. After flying from Madagascar to Johannesburg to Addis Ababa to Frankfurt to Helsinki, our racers received video e-mails from home, got stuck in the mud, hauled limestone, and rappelled off of an Olympic Stadium tower. However, instead of meeting Phil at a Pit Stop, the racers received a clue that told them to keep racing. If you missed any of it, click on over to Jenn’s mud-splattered recap. Now that you’re all caught up it’s time for the awards!

I’m awarding First Class to two teams this week. As I was watching the episode it struck me that both Tyler & James (aka Team Zoolander) and Dustin & Kandice were running a great leg. Before learning the leg was going to end without a meeting with Phil at the mat, I decided that whichever of these two teams finished higher would be awarded First Class for the leg. Well we know how that plan worked out. So, without a firm finish to judge by, I’m giving it to both teams.

There’s not much more to say about Kandice & Dustin’s strong racing that hasn’t already been said. These two ladies are racing very well and even when they make mistakes or get lost, they don’t let it get to them. They’re keeping their focus on getting ahead and performing well. Arriving at the airport first, they never hesitated in their quest to find an earlier flight to Helsinki.

Dustin & Kandice remained at the front of the pack throughout this leg. They didn’t let the mud challenge deter them one bit, plunging right in and showing up the boys by not stopping to change clothes in the middle of the leg. They properly realized they would be able to change on the train and did not waste any time getting there. Yes, both teams ended up on the same train but pausing to change could have caused the beauty queens to miss the first train.

Zoolander also raced a solid, clean leg. Instead of trying to search for a flight away from Dustin & Kandice, the models remained by their side, and spurred them on to check where the next departing flight was heading. Although they had to make several stops on their way to Finland, their smart thinking helped keep them on par with the beauty queens.

Although Zoolander claim to want Kandice & Dustin gone, they are not going out of their way to be nasty or antagonize them. On the train the two teams joked with each other and seemed to be having fun. The saying goes, “Keep your friends close; keep your enemies even closer.” Team Zoolander is using this strategy very effectively (as are Dustin & Kandice, I might add). Since these two teams are spending so much time together, they’re able to race much more effectively by not getting into petty arguments along the way.

Finally, though Tyler & James both said they were afraid of heights, they performed the rappelling task without delay. Hanging off of a tall building from a rope and harness is a difficult enough task, but to have to do it face-first makes it that much more difficult. These guys didn’t even blink.

So, Zoolander and Dustin & Kandice, head on in to your squishy leather seats. Get out the moisturizer and relax. It’s sure to be lots of fun in First Class on this trip, so kick back and enjoy it!

Cargo Class is going to Lyn & Karlyn (aka Team Dublyn). This team would be a lot less annoying if they would just relax, smile, and enjoy their surroundings every once in a while. Upon their arrival in Helsinki, they accused Kandice & Dustin of getting ahead because of their looks. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The beauty queens have been racing smart the whole way, and are a genuine threat to be the first two-woman team to finish in first place.

During this rant, Karlyn made a comment about being disadvantaged because of her looks. Like Jenn, I’m sick of her. If Dublyn, and Karlyn in particular, would focus more on their own race instead of worrying about everyone else, they might be able to get ahead. I’d love to tell Karlyn that looks mean very little on this race, but if they were to smile or be polite every now and then they might actually be able to use that to their advantage.

Dublyn showed the height of hypocrisy at the train station when they cut in front even though a local told them several times that there was a line. They didn’t even ask if they could take the cab, they just jumped in and took it. Whether this was good race strategy or not, we’ve repeatedly seen Dublyn whining about and criticizing other teams for similar behavior. They caused a huge fuss when Dustin & Kandice tried to reserve tickets for Zoolander, and again when the beauty queens took a car other than the one they had wrecked to get them to the airport.

Strategic decisions aren’t always polite or fair. Each team decides what moves will get them ahead and races accordingly. Dublyn can’t criticize a team for doing something and then turn around and do a very similar thing. The double standard just doesn’t cut it. It’s about time they admit that everyone else is just racing hard. I won’t stand on my head waiting for that to happen, though.

I don’t think there’s much more I can say. Dublyn, head down to Cargo Class. Maybe while you’re there you’ll spend time thinking about what you can do differently on the rest of this leg to pull yourselves up from the bottom of the pack.

Next week, tanks, and what appears to be the final end of the Back Pack/Six Pack/Four Pack alliance. I’ll be back with more First and Cargo Class awards, and make sure you stick with Reality News Online for full coverage of The Amazing Race 10!

Sandy Lamparello is an Assistant Editor for Reality News Online a Legal Editor for a publishing company in Washington, DC. You may reach her at realitytvjunkie@gmail.com. She doesn’t care if you agree or disagree, she just wants to hear from you. Ciao!

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