The Amazing Race Team Building Theme

The Amazing Race Activity is based upon how the television show game works, where teams will have to complete different types of tasks for them to move on to the next destination. The tasks differ from physical challenges to problem solving pieces, even multi-sensory puzzlers and other interactive activities. The tasks are fun and engaging and promote quick thinking, creativity, communication, teamwork, and a different type of skill sets.

The Amazing Race Game on-foot

The Amazing Race Activity has different types of format and can be done on foot at a specific location or surrounding area. The clues that the participants use to locate different locations can either be distributed as paper-based clues or via WorkRFun’s custom build app. Once the team arrives at one of the locations, they need to them complete one or more of the activities before being given a clue to guide them to the next location. The clues can include various variables such as:

• ‘Detours’ where the team can choose between two activities.
• ‘Roadblocks’ only one team member must do the activity
• ‘Intersections’ two teams compete against each other at a specific location

The Amazing Race Game using different transport

The other kind of Amazing Race Activity format is where the participants use different nodes of transport such as local taxi’s, trains in addition to on foot.  Each of these local Amazing Race Activities are customised for the specific location and the route and destinations can include popular tourist sites and cultural and popular sites. The Race can be structured for any time period.

The activities are mostly venue dependant however some of the more popular activities include:

• Blind folded team members instructed to perform certain tasks by other team members that can see
• Rolling marbles through a combination of tubes without them falling
• Various riddles and cryptic clues
• Bouncing ping pong balls into an increasing stack of cups

The Amazing Race Concept

Most everybody knows about Survivor, just as popular is the ‘The Amazing Race’. This is a fun and exciting reality show from America, where teams of two travel all over the world, completing challenges to finally be the last team standing, winning a cash prize.

The Amazing Race Explained

The race usually has about 12 legs, each located in a different country. Players of about 11 paired teams get a chance to puzzle out clues, meet new people in different countries, and participate in challenges that are both mental as well as physical. Each team must get around by walking, using taxi’s, boats and airplanes only using what money they are provided with by the organizers of the show.

As the race continues, and teams reach the end of each leg, which is also known as a Pit Stop, teams may be eliminated. Once all teams reach the Pit Stop, all players must rest before carrying on with the race a few hours later. Most times the last team to arrive is eliminated, but there are also non-elimination rounds, where the team gets to carry on playing. The catch is, they have to then perform a speed-bump (penalty) or extra challenge other teams don’t have to perform. Teams lucky enough to be the first to arrive at the end of a leg, receive a reward such as a vacation to somewhere exotic. There may also be places where the Pit Stop is not the end of a leg and players must continue with the race. Progressively teams are eliminated until three teams are left standing to race to the end. The first team reaching the end wins a substantial cash prize. The Race itself lasts for about 25 to 30 days.

The Amazing Race in Detail

Teams are directed throughout the Race by clues, which come in clearly marked envelopes.

The envelopes include:

• Teams route information
• Detour information
• Roadblock information

The envelopes are placed in clearly marked boxes, which are easily identified by the red, yellow and white colours unique to the Race. Each envelope contains information to their next destination. Teams travel to different destinations using various modes of transport both commercial as well as chartered. They will be using airplanes, trains, boats, buses, taxis and in some instances rented cars, which they need to drive themselves. Many times, rules inform teams to walk on foot to their destination. Teams are given a certain amount of money in order to cover their expenses. Any money remaining can be kept and then used further in the Race. If teams run out of money, they may have to come up with creative ways to earn funds. Travelling by air is usually covered by a credit card, where teams purchase economy-class seating.

Clues and definitions of The Amazing Race

The clues provided can be direct, giving the next destination, or they contain riddles that teams must decipher. Teams might also find things like a flag representing their next destination as a clue. Other clues give explanations on challenges teams must complete before they can move to their next destination. In many cases, teams must involve local residents, who must help teams figure out the clues and complete challenges.

The challenges are created to focus on the local culture, they include:

• Route Information: this is a general clue of a destination and may also include a challenge the team has to complete before moving forward to the next clue.
• Detour: Here teams can choose between two challenges. Each team can choose to complete one or the other challenge and change from one challenge to the other if they find their first choice too difficult. During each leg of the Race, there is usually at least one Detour for teams to complete.
• Roadblock: This is where only one team member can complete a challenge. Teams are given a clue and based on this, must decide which team member should attempt the challenge. One of the rules implemented concerning this is that one team member has a limit on how many challenges they should do, both members must attempt an equal amount of challenges. As with a Detour, there is usually one Roadblock in each leg of the Race.
• Fast Forward: The Fast Forward allows one team member to compete for a unique challenge if successful the team can then skip all challenges and move straight to the Pit Stop. Each team is only allowed to use one Fast Forward during the entire Race.
• Intersections: Two teams are required to work together until told to do otherwise. The challenges during an Intersection can include Detours as well as Roadblocks, which gets one person from each team working together. Fast Forwards will also be completed together.
• Yield: This is a station set up at a certain destination, if a team reaches the station first, they can then force another team who is behind them, to wait a fixed time that has been decided upon beforehand. Once the time is up, the team who has been Yielded can continue. During the Race, each team can only select another team once.
• U-Turn: Another station set up at a particular destination, where teams who reach it first can then U-Turn another team. This means the team that is being U-Turned must go back and perform the second challenge from the Detour, the challenge they chose not to do. Again, teams can only U-Turn another team once during the Race.
• Speed-Bump: When a team comes last to the Pit Stop and it is a non-elimination round, during the next leg of the Race, the team must perform another challenge above what everyone else must do, this is then called a Speed-Bump. The challenge is usually something simple and easy, which must be completed before moving on to the next challenge.
• Switchback: This is a challenge that can occur in a Race and is taken from an earlier season. The challenge is usually something that was memorable, and most likely used again in the same location as before. For example, it may be a challenge that took a certain team hours to complete, which ultimately led to their elimination. The challenge could also be a Fast Forward, which caused a team some difficulty but, in the end, they won the Race.
• Penalties: If a team does not complete a challenge, doesn’t follow the rules, or misunderstands a clue, they are penalized. Generally, the penalty is a 30-minute waiting period, as well as the time they gained from breaking the rule. Penalties can be enforced while teams are busy racing, it could be given at the Pit Stop, or when the next leg of the Race begins.

The final events of ‘The Amazing Race’ are shown in order from start to end, with certain events being edited out. Scenes change from one team to another, tracking each teams progress. Each team gets to view their opinions and make comments, which is then added into the show. You will have comments from teams coming up intermittently during the show, which helps to bring a clearer understanding of the events occurring during the Race. You will also notice when watching, there is often information coming up onto the screen, which displays teams names and their positions in the Race. This helps to keep track of all the teams in the Race as they progress.