The Amazing Race 1 () is the first season of The Amazing Race (), a Chinese reality competition show based on the American series The Amazing Race. It featured eight teams of two in a race around the world to win an Infiniti Q50L for each racer, to donate for charity and two trophies. This is the second version of The Amazing Race to be produced in China following The Amazing Race: China Rush. This season visited three continents and six countries and traveled over during ten legs. Starting in Shenzhen, racers traveled through the United States, India, the United Arab Emirates, Greece, South Korea, and Hong Kong before finishing in Shenzhen with intermittent returns to China throughout the season. The hosts for the show were Hong Kong actor Andy On (episodes 1 and 2) and Singapore based Chinese-American actor Allan Wu, who was also the host of The Amazing Race Asia and The Amazing Race: China Rush (episodes 3 to 10). The season premiered on 17 October 2014 on Shenzhen TV and concluded on 19 December 2014.
Wallace Chung (referred to in the show as Zhong Hanliang) and his sister Jackie were the winners of this season, while married couple Li Xiaopeng and Li Anqi finished second and classmates Bai Jugang and Guan Xiaotong finished third.
Production Development and filming
The first season was filmed from July 21, 2014 to November 23, 2014. The filming was not consecutive due to celebrities' schedule problems, differing from most international franchises.
A task originally arranged after the Detour of Leg 4 was cancelled due to terrible weather condition. The Pit Stop of Leg 8 was forced to be moved for the same reason. Previews on the official site originally cited Austria as the destination to be visited after Greece. However, during filming, this was changed to South Korea for unknown reasons.
The Yield on Leg 6 was unaired. This season introduced two twists. The Save was awarded to the winners of the eighth leg. The team that won the pass must use it and make a team that was eliminated return at the ninth leg. The Versus had teams compete against each other. The winning team receives their next clue, while the losing team waits out a 15-minute penalty.
This is the first time in an Amazing Race franchise that an elimination occurred in a double-length final leg.
Marketing Infiniti was the main sponsor for this season. The season was also sponsored by Sohu, Satine and Eastroc Super Drink.
Cast
This season was a celebrity edition featuring celebrities who were chosen to race on the show.
ContestantsAgeRelationshipNotabilityStatus (白举纲)(Returned to competition)Eliminated 1st(in Grandview, United States) (关晓彤) (应采儿) 31Besties ActressEliminated 2nd(in Delhi, India) (刘芸) 32 Actress (张铁林) 57Father & Daughter ActorEliminated 3rd(in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates) (月亮) 23 (辰亦儒) 34Friends Actor / SingerEliminated 4th(in Santorini, Greece) (周韦彤) 32 Actress / Model (陈小春) 47Bros Actor / MusicianEliminated 5th(in Seoul, South Korea) (郑伊健) 47 Actor / Singer (金大川) 21Buddies Model / China Model Star contestantEliminated 6th(in Wan Chai, Hong Kong) (刘畅) 28 (白举纲) 21Classmates Singer / SongwriterThird Place (关晓彤) 17 Actress / Singer (李小鹏) 33Married Olympic gymnast Second Place (李安琪) 27 (钟汉良) 40Siblings Actor / SingerWinners 38
Future appearances Liu Chang & Jin Dachuan later competed in the third season in 2016 as a replacement of another team (Huang Jingyu and Xu Weizhou) who was axed during production on the last minute.
Li Xiaopeng competed on Race the World in 2016.
Results The following teams participated in the season, each listed along with their placements in each leg and relationships as identified by the program. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television, owing to the inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:
TeamPosition (by leg)Roadblocksperformed12345678910Zhong Hanliang & Jackie5th5th3rd1st2nd1st2nd1st1st2nd1stZhong Hanliang 7, Jackie 7Li Xiaopeng & Li Anqi2nd2nd1st2nd1st2nd1st2nd3rd1st2ndLi Xiaopeng 7, Li Anqi 7Bai Jugang & Guan Xiaotong2nd3rd3rdBai Jugang 4, Guan Xiaotong 3Jin Dachuan & Liu Chang1st4th6th4th3rd3rd3rd4th4thJin Dachuan 8, Liu Chang 5Chen Xiaochun & Zheng Yijian4th1st2nd4th5th4th3rdChen Xiaochun 5, Zheng Yijian 7Chen Yiru & Zhou Weitong3rd3rd5th5th5th4thChen Yiru 6, Zhou Weitong 5Zhang Tielin & Yueliang6th6th4th3rdZhang Tielin 3, Yueliang 5Ying Cai'er & Liu Yun7th7thYing Cai'er 3, Liu Yun 2 Key A team placement means the team was eliminated. A indicates that the team won a Fast Forward. A indicates that the team decided to use the first Express Pass on that leg. A indicates the team had previously been given the second Express Pass and used it on that leg. A indicates that a team was brought back into the competition by means of the Save won during the previous leg. An team placement indicates that the team came in last on a non-elimination leg and had to perform a Speed Bump during the next leg. Matching colored symbols (, and ) indicate teams who worked together during part of the leg as a result of an Intersection. An indicates that there was a Versus on this leg, while an indicates the team that lost the Versus and received a 15-minute penalty. A means that team chose to use the Yield; indicates the team who received it. A or a indicates that the team chose to use one of the two U-Turns in a Double U-Turn; or indicates the team who received it; around a leg number indicates that only one of the two available U-Turns was used. Italicized results indicate the position of the team at the midpoint of a two-part leg.
Notes
^ Zhong Hanliang & Jackie were subject to various placement changes on the first leg: They drove off from Luohu Stadium without their crew members, and were the 4th team to arrive at Hong Kong International Airport for the first of two flights to New York. They were given a penalty which caused them to depart last for the leg and leaving them to go on the second flight instead. They were the 4th team to arrive at the Pit Stop, but were issued a 30-minute penalty for breaking traffic laws while driving to the Pit Stop. Chen Xiaochu & Zhen Yijian checked-in during their penalty time, dropping Zhong Hanliang & Jackie to 5th. ^ Chen Xiaochu & Zhen Yijian initially arrived 1st, but they were issued a 30-minute penalty as Chen Xiaochun had performed both of the Roadblocks on the leg when they were instructed to alternate. This did not affect their placement. Bai Jugang & Guan Xiaotong were eligible to be penalized for the same infraction (Bai Jugang had also performed both Roadblocks for the leg), but they were the last team to arrive to the Pit Stop, resulting in their elimination. Zhang Tielin & Yueliang used their Express Pass from Jin Dachuan & Liu Chang to bypass the task at the Eagle Films Studio on Leg 3. Jin Dachuan & Liu Chang used their Express Pass to bypass the Detour in Leg 3. However they still had to do one side of the Detour since Zhong Hanliang & Jackie U-Turned them before they got to the board. Chen Yiru & Zhou Weitong initially arrived 3rd, but were issued a 30-minute penalty as they moved more than five metres apart during the Detour, which was specifically prohibited by the rules. Zhang Tielin & Yueliang and Jin Dachuan & Liu Chang checked-in during their penalty time, dropping Chen Yiru & Zhou Weitong to 5th. Chen Yiru & Zhou Weitong initially arrived 5th. However, they took a transportation vehicle to the Pit Stop when the clue instructed them to walk. They had to return to the Burj al-Arab and then walk to the Pit Stop. This did not affect their placement. Zhang Tielin & Yueliang initially arrived 3rd. However, they received a 1-hour penalty for quitting the whitewater rafting challenge. The last three teams trailing them (Jin Dachuan & Liu Chang, Chen Yiru & Zhou Weitong and Chen Xiaochun & Zheng Yijian) checked-in during the penalty time, dropping them to last place and resulting in their elimination. Jin Dachuan & Liu Chang, Chen Xiaochun & Zheng Yijian and Chen Yiru & Zhou Weitong were unable to complete the pottery challenge and were each issued a 15-minute penalty before they could continue racing. Chen Xiaochun & Zheng Yijian exceeded the number of eggs delivered during the task, where they were supposed to deliver 120 eggs as stated in the clue, and were issued a 5-minute penalty at the site. Jin Dachuan & Liu Chang broke an egg during the egg delivery challenge and were issued a 30-second penalty on the site. Zhong Hanliang & Jackie delivered some eggs to help Chen Xiaochun & Zheng Yijian where it was prohibited per the clue. They also had lost eight eggs during the delivery (inclusive of two broken eggs), and were issued a 5-minute penalty at the site. Chen Xiaochun & Zheng Yijian chose not to complete the octopus-eating challenge and received a 1-hour penalty before being permitted to continue.
Voting history Similar to the Israeli, Australian and Philippine versions, teams on the seventh leg voted for who should receive the U-Turn. The team who has the most votes must complete the other option of the Detour they did not select. Leg #:7U-Turned:Chen Yiru & Zhou Weitong3–1–1VoterTeam's voteZhong Hanliang & JackieChen Yiru & Zhou WeitongLi Xiaopeng & Li AnqiChen Yiru & Zhou WeitongJin Dachuan & Liu ChangChen Yiru & Zhou WeitongChen Xiaochun & Zheng YijianLi Xiaopeng & Li AnqiChen Yiru & Zhou WeitongZhong Hanliang & Jackie
Prizes The prize for each leg is awarded to the first place team for that leg.
Leg 1 – Two Express Passes Leg 3 – A year's supply of Satine Organic Milk and a personal driver and vehicle for the next leg. Leg 4 – An amount of local currency equivalent to for the next leg (approximately AED ). Leg 5 – Trip to Jordan, Jerusalem, and the Dead Sea. Leg 7 – A year's supply of Satine Organic Milk and a GPS for use on the next leg. Leg 8 – A Save, a year's supply of Satine Organic Milk and a diamond ring for each team member. Leg 10 - One Infiniti Q50L for each racer, to donate for charity, and two trophies.
An item that can be used to skip any one task of the team's choosing. The winning team keeps one for themselves but must relinquish the second to another team before the end of the sixth leg. An item that must be used to revive one of the teams that had been previously eliminated.
Race summary
Leg 1 (China → Hong Kong → United States)
Airdate: October 17, 2014 Shenzhen, Guangdong (OCT East) (Starting Line) Shenzhen (Luohu Stadium) Hong Kong (Hong Kong International Airport) → New York City, United States (John F. Kennedy International Airport) New York City (Times Square) New York City (Theatre Circle) New York City (Grand Army Plaza) New York City (East River Park or Lombardi's Pizza) New York City (Tompkins Square Park) New York City (Hollywood Stunts NYC) New York City (Brooklyn Bridge Park)
In this series' first Roadblock, one team member had photograph themselves kissing three of the following kinds of people with a polaroid camera outside the Plaza Hotel – (1) a lady with white hair; (2) a person with a child in a stroller; (3) someone of the opposite gender wearing a wedding ring; (4) someone lying on the ground; (5) someone holding a briefcase – and exchange them with a photographer for their next clue.