The Amazing Race 35 Recap: Week 8 Live Blog and Results
Tonight’s episode of The Amazing Race took the teams to Ljubljana, Slovenia — the first visit to Slovenia in the show’s history. Below is a concise, spoiler-filled recap of the episode, highlighting key moments including the Roadblock over Lake Bled, the Planica Nordic Centre challenge, the Field Work detour, and the Pit Stop at Dragon Bridge.
At the start of the leg, Greg & John were first to secure travel arrangements and booked an early 4:00 p.m. flight, while the other teams took seats on a later 7:30 p.m. departure. Todd & Ashlie and Rob & Corey attempted standby for the earlier flight and were able to join Greg & John, putting them on the first team to arrive in Vienna. Their lead looked promising until a tight train connection meant the lead evaporated: delays left just minutes to catch a linking train to Slovenia, so the early fliers prudently reboarded the later train with the rest of the field. By the time everyone reached Ljubljana, the race was effectively reset with all teams traveling together.
Trains, Planes, Automobiles
Upon arrival in Ljubljana, teams drove to Congress Square to pick up cars and then headed to a nearby airfield for the next clue. The Roadblock required one teammate to pilot a glider over Lake Bled and read a four-digit number displayed below. The correct answer was 1991 — the year Slovenia declared independence. Joel & Garrett and Rob & Corey reached the airfield first and immediately began the flight task. Other teams arrived in quick succession: Todd & Ashlie (who discovered Ashlie had to do the Roadblock because of Todd’s height), Greg & John, Robbin & Chelsea, and Morgan & Lena. Steve & Anna Leigh struggled to find the airfield early on, putting them behind.
Garrett completed his first flight but misread the number as 1199 and had to retry. Rob correctly called out 1991 and sent him and Corey on to the Planica Nordic Centre. Several teams returned with correct readings and departed the Roadblock, while others, including Garrett and Lena, required second attempts. Tension rose as teams jockeyed for position, with Steve & Anna Leigh finally arriving at the airfield after some navigating difficulties; Anna Leigh initially refused to fly, so Steve stepped up and completed the Roadblock.
Express Pass Up for Grabs
At Planica Nordic Centre, the first team to arrive learned an Express Pass was available. Todd & Ashlie reached the centre first and debated going for it, but a navigation error on the hillside sent them off the direct route. Meanwhile, Rob & Corey and other teams arrived and scrambled up the slope in search of the Express Pass. Rob & Corey ultimately secured the Express Pass after racing to the top, then zip-lined back to the base to continue the leg. Some teams attempted to climb but realized the pass had been claimed and refocused on completing the tasks.
Greg & John, Robbin & Chelsea, and others chose to skip the Express Pass chase mid-race and moved to the detour area where they needed skis to reach the next clue box. Teams’ choices at this point began to separate the field as several opted for different detour options.
Field Work Detour
The Detour presented teams with a choice: Field Work or House Work. Field Work required collecting and stacking hay, while House Work asked teams to assemble a beehive home. Greg & John initially picked House Work but quickly switched to Field Work after assessing the tasks. Todd & Ashlie, Robbin & Chelsea, Morgan & Lena, and Rob & Corey all selected Field Work and began hauling hay together at the leading edge of the race. Joel & Garrett opted for House Work and started assembling the beehive structures.
Rob & Corey, despite holding the Express Pass, did not use it here; instead they pushed to complete the hay task efficiently. Steve & Anna Leigh arrived and, not noticing that the Express Pass had already been claimed, briefly attempted to secure it, only to learn it was gone and redirect to the detour tasks. At one point Joel & Garrett left a notebook behind after finishing House Work, realized the mistake, and returned to retrieve it before certain rivals could capitalize.
The Next Clue
Todd & Ashlie finished Field Work first and drove to the Nebotičnik Skyscraper in central Ljubljana for their next clue. They were followed closely by Rob & Corey and Greg & John. Morgan & Lena and Robbin & Chelsea completed Field Work shortly after, while Joel & Garrett completed House Work and managed to recover their forgotten notebook. Steve & Anna Leigh completed the House Work task as well but remained behind the pack, racing against the clock and the other teams’ navigation to the final location.
On the uphill drive to Nebotičnik, Morgan & Lena and Robbin & Chelsea got lost, which allowed other teams to gain positioning. At the skyscraper, teams climbed the spiraling interior staircase to retrieve the next clue that directed them to the Pit Stop at Dragon Bridge.
Racing to First Place
Greg & John arrived at Dragon Bridge first and were declared the winners of the leg by Phil Keoghan, securing a trip to Namibia as the prize. Todd & Ashlie followed closely and finished in second place. Rob & Corey reached the mat as the third team. Joel & Garrett completed the leg next, taking fourth place. Robbin & Chelsea arrived fifth, with Steve & Anna Leigh pulling into the Pit Stop in sixth. Their emotional finish reflected how close the leg had been and how critical navigation and task execution were throughout.
Elimination
Morgan & Lena, who fell behind after getting lost and struggling through the detour, arrived at the Pit Stop last. Phil delivered the elimination news: Morgan & Lena have been eliminated from the race. Their exit marked the end of a tense leg where early leads were erased by delays and strategic choices.
Leg Summary
1st place: Greg & John
2nd place: Todd & Ashlie
3rd place: Rob & Corey
4th place: Joel & Garrett
5th place: Robbin & Chelsea
6th place: Steve & Anna Leigh
Eliminated: Morgan & Lena
That concludes this week’s edition of The Amazing Race. The episode was defined by tight transportation windows, a dramatic glider Roadblock over Lake Bled, a contested Express Pass at Planica, and detour choices that shuffled the leaderboard. Check back next week for another live recap of the race as it continues across Europe and beyond.