Non-Elimination Legs are predetermined legs where the last team to arrive at the Pit Stop is not eliminated.
Each race has a number of predetermined non-elimination legs and racers are not told in advance which legs are non-elimination legs.
Clues[]
In The Amazing Race 1 and 2, the clue preceding the Pit Stop ended with the statement, "The last team to arrive will be eliminated", except in non-elimination legs. In The Amazing Race 3 and 4, the clue preceding the Pit Stop ended with the statement "The last team to arrive will be eliminated" in the first few legs, and "The last team to arrive may be eliminated" after a certain point.
Beginning in The Amazing Race 5, the statement "The last team to arrive may be eliminated" has been used on every leg, with the exception of the first leg, legs featuring a Head-to-Head, and when there are no non-elimination legs remaining in the race in some seasons.
The Amazing Race 34 is the first season in the franchise to permanently remove any planned non-elimination legs and has been ever since in the flagship American version. However, due to the removal of one team due to a positive COVID-19 test, one leg became a de facto non-elimination leg, and the Departure Time Penalty was in place, albeit one that all players knew about in advance. This was repeated in The Amazing Race 35, one leg at the end became a de facto non-elimination leg with a No-Rest Leg, albeit one that all players advanced to the following leg.
Non-Elimination Penalties[]
Arriving in last place in a Non-Elimination Leg usually results in a penalty on the leg. The penalty varies between seasons and versions and may have variations. Some seasons may use different penalties for different legs.
No Penalty[]
Teams received no penalty for finishing last in a non-elimination leg. The only disadvantage for arriving last would be departing last on the next leg.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race (US) 1–4
- The Amazing Race 17 – Leg 6*
- The Amazing Race Australia 5 – Legs 13, 19, 21, 23
- The Amazing Race Australia 6
- HaMerotz LaMillion 4–7
- Amazing Race (France)
- The Amazing Race Philippines 1 – Leg 3
- The Amazing Race Philippines 2
Surrender Money[]
Penalized teams were forced to relinquish all of their money in their possession and received no money on the following leg. They were also not allowed to build funds until the next leg started for them.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race 5 (Building funds during Pit Stop rest period permitted)
- The Amazing Race 6
- The Amazing Race Asia 1
- The Amazing Race Asia 2 (Only leg 6)
- The Amazing Race Asia 3 (Only leg 6)
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2013 (Legs 4, 9)
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2014 (Only Leg 6)
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2015 (Only Leg 2)
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2016 (Only Leg 3)
Surrender Money and Possessions[]
In additional to the above penalty, teams would relinquish all of their belongings except their passports and the clothes they were currently wearing. This led to some teams wearing layers upon layers of clothing to keep them when they believe they are in last place.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race (US) – Seasons 7–9
- HaMerotz LaMillion 1 – Leg 1
Surrender Money and No Supplied Vehicles[]
In additional to the above penalty, the team would not be allotted a vehicle on the next leg.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2019 – Leg 1
Marked for Elimination[]
The penalized team would have to arrive in 1st place on the next leg or they would incur time penalty (usually 30 minutes) before checking in, where other teams could arrive and drop their placing.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race (US) – Seasons 10, 11
- The Amazing Race Asia – Seasons 1–4
- The Amazing Race Asia 2 – Legs 1, 7, 9
- The Amazing Race Asia 3 – Legs 7, 9
- The Amazing Race Australia – Seasons 1, 2
- The Amazing Race: A Corrida Milionária
- HaMerotz LaMillion 1 – Leg 7
- HaMerotz LaMillion 2 – Legs 6 (1 hour), 9
- The Amazing Race Philippines 1 – Legs 7, 11
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2012 – Legs 1, 9
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2013 – Leg 1
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2014 – Leg 1
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2015 – Legs 1, 3 (45 minutes), 7 (45 minutes)
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2016 – Leg 1
Ukrainian version[]
In Velyki perehony, penalized teams arriving at the Pit Stop will receive a 30 minute or 1-hour penalty regardless of their placing.
Appearances:
- Velyki perehony Legs 2 (30 minutes), 8 (1 hour)
Speed Bump[]
Penalized teams will encounter a Speed Bump next leg; a task only they have to complete. The Speed Bump was also present in The Amazing Race 33, but not as a penalty for teams coming in last in a non-elimination leg. Instead, the only Speed Bump during the season was an (unaired) extra task for the two teams who were allowed to return to the race in place of the four teams who were unable to return after the race was re-started after production initially shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race (US) – Seasons 12–32
- The Amazing Race Asia 5
- HaMerotz LaMillion 2 – Legs 4, 11
- The Amazing Race (Latin America) – All Seasons
- The Amazing Race: China Rush – All Seasons
- The Amazing Race Australia – Seasons 3 and 4
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2016 – Leg 9
- Velyki perehony – Leg 11 (simply called 'an extra task')
- The Amazing Race Canada – All Seasons
- The Amazing Race China – All Seasons
Departure Time Penalty[]
The last placing team would depart later (usually 30 minutes) than usual in the next leg. In The Amazing Race 33, the team would start the next leg in the last departure group on their own.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race 33
- HaMerotz LaMillion 3 – Leg 7
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2013 – Leg 10
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2019 – Leg 4 (90-minute penalty)
Marked for Surrendering Money[]
In a matter similar to being Marked for Elimination, the penalized team would have to arrive first on the next leg or they would have to relinquish all of their money in their possession and would receive no money on the following leg. They were also not allowed to build funds until that leg started for them.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race Vietnam 2012 – Legs 2, 6
Rest Period Penalty[]
The penalized team would incur a penalty on the mandatory rest period in-between legs. The penalty varies by leg.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race 2 (China)
- Leg 3 – The penalized team was forced to sleep inside a convenience store as their penalty (this was also a No-Rest Leg)
- Leg 7 – The penalized team was to take economy class to their next destination while other teams would be in business or first class.
Handicap[]
The next leg is some way made harder for the penalized team.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race Norge – All Seasons
Late Flight[]
The last placing team would was given a later flight than the other teams.
Appearances:
- HaMerotz LaMillion 7 – Leg 1
Attire Penalty[]
The penalized team would have to wear winter clothes on the next leg, which took place in a tropical climate.
Appearances:
- HaMerotz LaMillion 3 – Leg 5
Salvage & Sabotage[]
The last placing team will be either dealt with a Salvage or a Sabotage, to be decided by the team who won the non-elimination leg. The Salvage gives the team an advantage in the next leg, while the Sabotage hinders the team in the next leg. Once the penalty or advantage is rewarded to the last placing team. The remaining penalty or advantage is then given to the second-to-last placing team.
Appearances:
- The Amazing Race Australia 5 – Legs 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17
References[]
The Amazing Race Format |
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Challenges: Assist · Clues · Clue Box · Double Battle · Express Pass · Resurrection Card · Salvage Pass · Save |