The Amazing Race 35 Recap – Week 3 Live Blog and Results
Tonight’s episode of The Amazing Race aired on CBS, sending teams from the United States to Vietnam for a fast-paced leg centered around Ho Chi Minh City and the nearby city of Can Tho. This recap covers the key moments, tasks, and finishing order from Week 3.
The leg opened with Jocelyn & Victor reading their clue: teams must fly to Ho Chi Minh City and then travel to Can Tho, but must first secure flights. Jocelyn & Victor were confident after back-to-back wins. Rob & Corey left shortly after them, and both pairs arrived at the travel agency to book seats on a 1:45 p.m. flight scheduled to land in Vietnam at 3:25 p.m. Greg & John, Morgan & Lena (carrying the Express Pass), Joe & Ian, Joel & Garrett, Todd & Ashlie, Steve & Anna Leigh, Liam & Yeremi, Andrea & Malaina, Robbin & Chelsea, and others all scrambled for available flights, splitting between the earlier departures and a later 7:55 p.m. option.
Tensions rose at the airport when teams on the later flight learned that some competitors had secured earlier seats. Unexpected delays pushed the 1:45 flight back to 3:00 p.m., which allowed Joe & Ian and Joel & Garrett—who had found slightly earlier tickets—to pull ahead. After landing in Ho Chi Minh City, the leading teams hopped into taxis to reach a bus station and board a bus to Can Tho. As teams arrived in Can Tho, they drew assigned start times for the next morning’s task: fifteen-minute intervals between 5:45 and 6:15 a.m., which was intended to balance the field heading into the day’s water-based challenge.
The contestants arrive in Can Tho
At dawn, competitors learned they would navigate sampans through Cai Rang Floating Market, delivering fruit to specific vendors before receiving the next clue. Early starters—Rob & Corey, Steve & Anna Leigh, Joel & Garrett, and Joe & Ian—got underway quickly. Morgan & Lena opted to use their Express Pass to skip the market task entirely, saving time for the next leg. Other teams worked to deliver their cargo while adapting to the bustling market’s pace and narrow waterways.
After finishing the market deliveries, teams received a Detour offering two options: “Paper” or “Plastic.” The Paper option required crafting 12 sheets of edible rice paper, while Plastic asked teams to cut, adhere, and heat vinyl onto a motorbike panel. Joel & Garrett and Rob & Corey chose Paper, as did Steve & Anna Leigh and most teams trailing behind. Morgan & Lena selected Plastic, as did Joe & Ian and Liam & Yeremi.
Paper or plastic?
The Paper Detour proved physically demanding and time-consuming: only five ovens were available for steaming rice paper, creating a bottleneck that influenced standings. Joel & Garrett worked efficiently on the rice paper, while Steve & Anna Leigh initially struggled but eventually found a rhythm. Rob & Corey performed steadily and moved into a solid position. Teams tackling the Plastic Detour encountered technical challenges applying vinyl and heating the panels correctly, which stalled Morgan & Lena and others.
Andrea & Malaina arrived late to the Paper station and had to wait for ovens to free up, weighing whether to switch Detours. As teams completed their Detours, the race to the Pit Stop intensified. With both Detour choices presenting unique obstacles—limited equipment for Paper and detailed handiwork for Plastic—strategy and composure were decisive.
Racing to the pit stop
Steve & Anna Leigh emerged from the Detour ahead of the pack, reaching Truc Lam Phuong Nam Zen Monastery first. However, the leg was non-elimination at the mat: Phil informed them they must continue racing immediately after checking in, and the same applied to the next teams arriving. Joel & Garrett followed closely behind, with Rob & Corey completing the Detour soon after and arriving as Team #3. Todd & Ashlie and Robbin & Chelsea moved up through steady Detour execution, while Morgan & Lena recovered from their earlier Vinyl issues to press forward.
Competition tightened as teams scrambled to transition from their Detours to the monastery. Jocelyn & Victor struggled with the rice paper process and debated switching routes, but ultimately persisted. Andrea & Malaina managed to move past several teams once ovens freed up, advancing into the middle of the field. Joe & Ian’s Plastic progress improved later in the task, allowing them to make up ground.
Steve & Anna Leigh are the first team to greet Phil at the Pit Stop.
When the teams converged at the mat, Steve & Anna Leigh officially greeted Phil first but were immediately told the leg continued. Joel & Garrett finished second and also had to keep racing. Rob & Corey came in third and received the same instruction. As the remaining teams arrived, the order shifted as Andrea & Malaina and Greg & John crossed the mat together, followed by Jocelyn & Victor and Liam & Yeremi in the next wave.
Keep racing
Overall, the leg tested teams’ ability to perform under pressure in both waterborne and hands-on cultural tasks: navigating the floating market, crafting edible rice paper, and applying vinyl properly. Quick decisions—like using the Express Pass—and efficient teamwork made the difference between moving up the leaderboard or fighting to avoid elimination.
Episode Summary
1st place: Steve & Anna Leigh
2nd place: Joel & Garrett
3rd place: Rob & Corey
4th place: Todd & Ashlie
5th place: Robbin & Chelsea
6th place: Morgan & Lena
7th place: Joe & Ian
8th place: Greg & John
9th place: Andrea & Malaina
10th place: Jocelyn & Victor
11th place: Liam & Yeremi
That concludes this week’s installment of The Amazing Race Season 35. The leg showcased cultural challenges in Vietnam, tight strategic choices, and dramatic finishes that reshaped the standings. Check back next week for another live recap of the action-packed race.