We get a quick recap of the eliminations, and a little background on the final three, including Ryan & Rob's double non-elimination. Can they keep that luck running to win, I guess we'll see soon enough.
Having come in first on the last leg, Natalie & Meaghan are the first to depart at 3:31am with Mickey & Pete hot on their tail just a few minutes behind (3:44am). They're flying off to Ottawa, Ontario, the nations Capitol. All three teams board the plane to travel the 1100 kms from Moncton to Ottawa, via Montreal and then locate the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge to find their next clue. Lots of running ensues.
Teams must now grab a taxi and head to the Fleet Street Pumping Station where they'll find an Olympic rafting training facility. They'll need to pick a kayak, gear up and complete the course along the river to find the entrance to the Rideau Canal. Sounds easy enough, especially without having to tow an eleven year old in a kayak behind you (welcome to my summer vacation).
Ryan & Rob managed to slip into first place until their driver takes a wrong turn, allowing the others to race ahead. At the river Mickey & Pete take the Olympians timidity over the rocks as a chance to sidestep them and hit the water first. Way to go Dudes. Love the blowup kayaks and the hidden fact that Pete's a river guide on the Ottawa River. Hopefully the rule to avoid your talent doesn't backfire on them.
Meaghan points out that they're much better on frozen water And that's pretty obvious as Mickey & Pete hit the shore first and sprint up the bank for their next clue. Meaghan's hand has started to seize up from the rowing but they've got a big lead on the Bartenders who've just located the Pumping Station. From first to last, just like that.
Mickey & Pete are first to clue and must now locate the office of Andrew Scheer, the Speaker of the House of Commons, on Parliament Hill. Once there they'll find the walls lined with books of transcripts of every debate ever held in the House of Commons, select an envelope with an important date, locate that date amongst the transcripts and then make their way to the Library of Parliament to find their symbol of Canadian identity before the librarian gives them their next clue.
Finding the room was easy enough, but finding the correct book of transcripts took a little searching, which has allowed the girls to make it to the clue box. The girls find the Dudes looking through their transcript but they don't see the box with the envelopes. Pete is thinking "don't tell them Mickey, don't tell them" and Mickey didn't. At this point in the race you can't afford to be helpful. The girls have wandered all the way to the library before realizing that's where they hand in the answer not find the envelope so back they go.
Speaking of back, Ryan & Rob have finally made it to shore. They're not a long way behind, but they're far enough. Mickey & Pete have to decide which debate on their given day was the most iconic and they decide that March 25, 1986's most significant debate was bringing in the Loonie. Sounds about right.
The girls have made it back to the office and manage to find the envelopes right away and pick March 30, 1949, . . . but the boys are on their way to the Library. They give their correct answer and get their next clue, with a bonus hug from the librarian. The Dudes are off to the Diefenbunker, a four story underground bomb shelter where they'll find their next clue, under a bomb.
Here's a thought, if you know you're in last place as you enter the Parliament Building in a race for a quarter of a million dollars wouldn't you be moving a lot faster than Ryan & Rob's slow saunter in? Granted, Bronze still counts but come on.
The girls have left the office before the boys arrive, deciding that the National Anthem be proposed in both English and French versions is the correct answer. They're right, but no hugs for them. They're about ten minutes behind the Dudes as Ryan & Rob pick December 15, 1964. They find the right book but it's all en francaise. Try the other wall boys.
At the Diefenbunker, Mickey & Pete have the foresight to ask their cabbie to wait for them. Time for a Roadblock. One team member must search the 100,000 square foot Cold War bunker for three different military miniatures in order to get their next clue. Pete's got this one and into the bunker he goes. Fortunately there are five miniatures on the desk as he enters so at least he has an idea what he's looking for.
Back at the Library, Ryan & Rob decide the adoption of the Canadian flag is correct and they're right. No hug for them either. They're only about fifteen minutes behind the girls, but the girls have picked the wrong cab and it's breaking down on the way to the Diefenbunker. Hopefully they can grab a replacement before the Bartenders speed on by.
Underground in the bunker Pete is quickly losing his lead as he can't seem to find any of the miniatures. It doesn't help that he's not really looking because he expects them to be in plain site not sitting on a lower shelf. Slow down Dude. The Olympians managed to limp their taxi to the Diefenbunker where their cabbie could call for a replacement while they ran inside. Natalie takes the task, in case it's more physical than it sounds, and heads underground.
Natalie finds the first miniature and despite being ten minutes ahead Pete finds the same room and miniature right behind her. Both of them then run into each other in another room with miniatures but neither one sees the miniatures. In separate rooms they both find another, only one left for each. Natalie misses the helicopters in the locker but Pete finds the plane and maintains a slight lead. Another hug for Pete and the next clue while Natalie continues her search.
Mickey & Pete are now on their way to the Canadian Museum of Nature for another Roadblock. In this one, the team member who didn't search the Diefenbunker gets to harness in and climb 60 feet to the top of the museum's atrium where they'll have to grab their next clue, then traverse across the ceiling to continue the race. This uses a lot of lower body strength so Meaghan may be alright doing it, but it could go either way if she twists her wrist the wrong way. Mickey should have no problem at all with this one.
Rob descends into the Diefenbunker where he finds Natalie frantically searching for her third miniature. She misses the same ones again, but Rob's lack of speed works in his favor as he finds the one both Natalie and Pete have missed, followed by a second one in the next room. Natalie finally finds her third one, but so does Rob right behind her. Ryan figures they're only three minutes behind the girls.
On the way to their next Roadblock, Mickey & Pete encounter an actual police roadblock. Fortunately it's short lived and they're waved around it and on to the museum. Mickey races in and gets harnessed, thinking it can't be that hard. Harder than it looks and Spider-man he's not, but he figures out a system that works for him and up he goes. As he says, he's "gotta do this, for Pete's sake."
Once he makes it to the top he has trouble reaching for the clue, something that I'd have no problem with at 6'7", assuming I figured out how to get up. Pete notices the Olympians pulling up but he doesn't say anything so as to not throw off Mickey's focus and it works because he grabs the clue. Well done, now a quick zip to the top, traverse the ceiling and open the clue before Meaghan harnesses in.
They're now off to Canada's National Gallery, home to the largest collection of Canadian art in the whole world. That shouldn't be a surprise, should it? That's where they'll find their next clue and hopefully a warmer welcome than the girls give them in passing on the stairs.
Meaghan has come to the realization that there's no way she can do this without using her already swollen hand, but up she goes as the Bartenders arrive. Ryan straps in as Meaghan reaches for the clue, obviously in pain, then slowly works her way across the ceiling to keep their short lead. Really short because Ruan was right behind her on the way up and they're closing in with their cab.
Meanwhile Mickey & Pete have arrived at the National Gallery and found the next clue which leads them to the Baroque Gallery where they'll install an art exhibit inspired by the Amazing Race Canada. It's a memory challenge showing the twelve legs of the race represented by four rows of three paintings. They need to set the paintings in their correct chronological order to receive their next clue. The race is run over about 28 days rather than 12 weeks so most of these should be fairly fresh for the teams to remember, but that's still 36 images to get in the correct order. Not to mention the trick images to throw them off.
The boys are moving along pretty quick when they find the painting of the Taj Mahal. No problem figuring out they never went there so they set it aside. They're zipping through as Natalie & Meaghan show up and the pressure's on. Here come Ryan & Rob to put everyone in the same place and now it's up to memory and good notes to either keep or take the lead.
The a Dudes call for their first inspection, but they've got one wrong. Hard enough using just the images that apply, but adding in the others increases the difficulty. The Olympians make a few adjustments and call for their first inspection, but they have two wrong. They start focusing on the ones they're not sure about and correct one of them but again fail inspection. Interesting that the Dudes and Olympians both think they saw a double decker bus in France. Mickey & Pete take down one they had right and fail their second inspection as well.
Over on Ryan & Rob's wall they also fail with one as the Dudes correct their Montreal error. Then they take out the double decker and call for another inspection. They've managed to keep their lead and not jump up and down screaming in exhilaration, no small task I'm sure, as they get the next clue.
At last: the end of the Race! Make your way to Rideau Hall and search for Jon at the Finish Line. Run, Dudes, Run! Rideau Hall has been the home of every Governor General since 1867 and somewhere on the grounds is the finish line for Season Two of The Amazing Race Canada.
The girls get focused when Mickey & Pete run out, make another switch and . . . They're on their tail. Mickey & Pete have been really lucky with their cab driver, now all Tony has to do is get them to Rideau Hall before the girls. Drive, Tony, drive, but don't run any red lights.
At the finish line all the eliminated teams are waiting to see who emerges first from Rideau Hall . . . as are we . . . and it's . . . Mickey & Pete, finally winning a leg of the race. No more third place finishes for them. Jon asks how they feel and they can't believe they did it. They always had a plan to win a leg and strip down and here they are on the final leg, pants less. Pants are highly overrated anyway.
Natalie & Meaghan ran a hard race but despite all their first place finishes they are Team Number Two. It was a hard leg for them but Jon asks them to leave with their heads held high, and he's right because they have nothing about the race to be ashamed of. As Meaghan said, they've taken their friendship to a whole new level. Ryan & Rob arrive and we finally get some personality from Rob, there's even a smile. There's nothing wrong with third place in an Amazing Race.
Congratulations to Mickey & Pete. Well won, boys.
Watch for our interview with the Dudes, and our video recap in the next 24 hours. Following that, it's time for Wayne and I to get our next audition video together for submission. If our readers/viewers are interested in watching Wayne and I run the race next season, feel free to start up a grassroots campaign to make it happen. Now it's time for me to watch After The Race. See you all real soon.