A new episode of The Amazing Race airs tonight on CBS. Follow this live recap for a detailed rundown of the teams’ journey through Osaka, the Intersection twist, and tonight’s eliminations.
The episode opens with teams instructed to fly from Hong Kong to Osaka, Japan. Upon arrival, they will face an Intersection: a twist forcing two teams to pair up and complete tasks together before continuing. Early decisions at the travel agency immediately shape the race order.
Carson & Jack are first to secure seats on the earliest flight. Brett & Mark and Ernest & Bridget also manage to get on that first flight, gaining an early advantage. Several teams opt for the second flight because it’s direct and less risky, including Alyssa & Josiah. A few teams miss the second flight and are left on a third departure an hour later: Pops & Jeff, Bernie & Carrigain, Scott & Lori, and Melinda & Erika. Tension rises as some teams try to move up from standby, while others debate whether to keep looking or settle for the later flight.
Pops & Jeff and Melinda & Erika eventually secure seats on the second flight, leaving Bernie & Carrigain and Scott & Lori as the only teams committed to the third flight. Bernie & Carrigain spend time arguing about decisions while they wait, foreshadowing partnership stress later in the leg.
After landing in Osaka, teams are directed to Tsutenkaku Tower. Ernest & Bridget reach the tower first and receive a clue sending them to Namba Hatch, where the Intersection challenge awaits. Brett & Mark place second and immediately partner with Ernest & Bridget, while Carson & Jack arrive shortly after and must wait for another team to join them before starting.
The paired teams face a Roadblock that requires two racers to perform a coordinated taiko drum routine. Ernest pairs with Mark, and several other teams pair up as they arrive: Jack & Jonathan, Alyssa & Mike, Courtney & Jeff, Erika & Holden, and Bernie & Scott. Despite arriving later, Bernie & Scott quickly complete the routine on their first try, leapfrogging teams that had been ahead of them.
Most teams struggle with timing and coordination. Mark picks up the routine quickly, while Ernest has difficulty synchronizing with his partner, prolonging their attempts. Jack & Jonathan manage to pass after three tries and take the lead, earning their next clue directing them to Dotonbori Bridge.
At Dotonbori Bridge, teams encounter a Detour offering a choice between Mochi or Mawashi. Mochi tasks teams with crafting traditional mochi bowls, while Mawashi requires participants to successfully wrap themselves in sumo wrestler mawashi belts. The teams leading the race—Jack & Carson, Brett & Mark, Jonathan & Ana, and others—opt for Mawashi, betting on speed with the sumo wrapping challenge.
Alyssa & Mike are the second pair to finish the taiko Roadblock and head to the Detour. Several teams pile into Mawashi, while only a few—Pops & Jeff, Courtney & Jasmin, and Melinda & Erika—choose Mochi. As teams tackle the Detour options, execution becomes the deciding factor. Jonathan & Ana complete the Mawashi task first and sprint to the Pit Stop at Tahoto Pagoda.
Jonathan & Ana arrive at the Pit Stop to a special surprise: it’s their anniversary. Phil hands them the top prize for the leg—trip tickets to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania—and the honor of Team #1 for the episode. Scott & Lori follow as Team #2. The field continues to close in, with Carson & Jack, Alyssa & Josiah, and others arriving in succession.
Courtney & Jasmin complete the Mochi challenge and move into fifth place, while Melinda & Erika and Pops & Jeff follow. Bernie & Carrigain and Nick & Mike manage to clear the Mawashi Detour as well and make their way toward the Pagoda. Brett & Mark complete Mawashi on their first attempt but must hustle to regain positions lost earlier in the leg.
As the leg winds down, only two teams remain struggling with the Mawashi challenge: Holden & Han and Ernest & Bridget. The race for survival becomes tightly contested. Han & Holden finally finish Mawashi and reach the Pit Stop as Team #11. Ernest & Bridget arrive later and are met by Phil with the elimination announcement.
Phil declares that Ernest & Bridget have been eliminated from the race. Their departure narrows the field as the remaining teams continue toward the next legs and challenges ahead.
Episode Summary
1st place: Jonathan & Ana (Won a trip to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania)
2nd place: Scott & Lori
3rd place: Alyssa & Josiah
4th place: Carson & Jack
5th place: Melinda & Erika
6th place: Courtney & Jasmin
7th place: Pops & Jeff
8th place: Bernie & Carrigain
9th place: Brett & Mark
10th place: Nick & Mike
11th place: Han & Holden
Eliminated: Ernest & Bridget
That wraps tonight’s episode of The Amazing Race. Thanks for reading this live recap—check back next week for another episode breakdown and more updates from the road.