The Amazing Race 4 is the fourth season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured twelve teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around the world to win US$1,000,000. This season visited four continents and nine countries and traveled over 44,000 miles (71,000km) during thirteen legs. Starting in Los Angeles, racers traveled through Italy, Austria, France, the Netherlands, India, Malaysia, South Korea, and Australia before returning to the United States, traveling through Hawaii, and finishing in Phoenix. The season premiered on CBS on May 29, 2003, and concluded on August 21, 2003.
Married couple Reichen Lehmkuhl and Chip Arndt were the winners of the season, while engaged couple Jon Corso and Kelly Parks finished in second place, and best friends David Dean and Jeff Strand finished in third place.
The fourth season of The Amazing Race spanned 44,000 miles (71,000km) across four continents and featured first-time visits to two countries: the Netherlands and South Korea. Filming for the show began on January 18, 2003, and finished on February 14.[1]
Casting
Casting for this season began in late August 2002.[2]
In 2005, Reichen Lehmkuhl appeared on a "Reality All-Stars" episode of Fear Factor.[7] Reichen also appeared as part of the cast of The A-List: New York in 2011.[8] Monica & Sheree, now both divorced, appeared on Atlanta Exes in 2014.[9]
Results
The following teams are listed with their placements in each episode. Placements are listed in finishing order.
A red placement with a dagger (†) indicates that the team was eliminated.
An underlined blue placement with a double-dagger (‡) indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg.
A green ƒ indicates that the team won the Fast Forward.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 This team won the Fast Forward on this leg.
↑ Reichen & Chip initially arrived 2nd, but were issued a 35-minute penalty because they drove to the Pit Stop instead of traveling on foot as the clue had instructed. Kelly & Jon checked in during this penalty time, dropping Reichen & Chip to 3rd.
1 2 Jon & Al and Millie & Chuck tied for 2nd place after both teams stepped on the Pit Stop mat at the same time.
1 2 3 Amanda & Chris, Millie & Chuck, and Steve & Josh all tied for 1st place after the three teams stepped on the Pit Stop mat at the same time.
Race summary
The route of The Amazing Race 4.
Destinations
Air travel Rail travel Water travel Bus travel Helicopter travel Bicycle travel Gondola travel
At the Church of St. Filippo and Giacomo, teams had to follow a marked path to find their next clue, which directed them to the Cinque Torri. There, teams had to ride a ski lift to the top and find their next clue on the mountain.
This season's first Fast Forward required one team to find a field on Passo Giau, put on snowshoes, and trek to the top of a snowy hill. Monica & Sheree won the Fast Forward.
This season's first Detour was a choice between Search or Rescue. In Search, teams would have had to use a locator beacon to find a beeper hidden somewhere in the snow, and then they'd have searched for a set of keys for a snowmobile that they could have driven to their next clue. In Rescue, teams crossed a traditional alpine rescue bridge of four steel cables. They then had to use a zipline to travel across the ravine in order to receive their next clue. All teams chose Rescue.
After the Detour, teams had to ride the ski lift back down to the lodge and then travel to the Pit Stop: the Hotel Lajadira.
At the start of this leg, teams traveled to the Trampolino Olimpico. There, they rode an inflatable snow raft down the hill in order to receive their next clue, which instructed them to travel by train to Venice. Once there, teams had to find their next clue at the Ponte delle Guglie.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Waterway or Pathway. In Waterway, teams had to travel by gondola, using only a map to guide their gondolier, to the Campo Querini Stampalia, where they found their next clue. In Pathway, teams had to travel by foot through the city's streets and bridges to the same plaza, but without a map, although they could ask for directions.
This leg's Fast Forward required one team to go to Campo San Vio and join a troupe of actors performing street theater known as commedia dell'arte until the Fast Forward award appeared in the skit. Steve & Dave won the Fast Forward.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Palazzo da Mosto and wait for a masquerade ball to begin before receiving their next clue.
In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to choose a picture of a Venetian mask, enter the Palazzo da Mosto, and search the rooms filled with masked revelers to find the one wearing the same mask shown in their photo, who gave them their next clue. If they chose incorrectly, the reveler took the photo and walked away, and the racer had to go back outside to wait to receive another photo, since only four contestants could enter the palace at a time.
After the Roadblock, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Citta di Padova, moored at the Venetian Lagoon.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by train to Vienna, Austria. Once there, they had to enter the city's sewers at the intersection of Friedrichstraße and Operngasse and follow a path to the Johann Strauss II monument at the Stadtpark, where they found their next clue. Teams then had to flag down a horse-drawn carriage called a fiacre and grab the ticket hanging on the carriage for one of three departure times. Teams then directed their fiacre to Schönbrunn Palace, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Fast Forward required one team to enter the ballroom at Schönbrunn Palace, where each team member had to carry a tray full of champagne glasses across the room and through the crowd without spilling any of the drinks. Steve & Josh won the Fast Forward.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Mozart or Beethoven. In Mozart, teams had to carry a string basssix miles (9.7km) to the well-known house where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote The Marriage of Figaro in order to receive their next clue. In Beethoven, teams had to carry a portfolio of sheet music 11 miles (18km) to a lesser-known house where Ludwig van Beethoven wrote The Heiligenstadt Testaments in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Donauturm, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to perform a 460-foot (140m)bungee jump off the Donauturm in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel by train to Gmunden and then on foot to the Pit Stop: Schloss Ort.
Additional note
The bungee jump at the Donauturm was later featured as a Switchback and Fast Forward in season 23, but due to high winds, the Fast Forward was unavailable, and no teams chose to wait for weather conditions to improve.[10]
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Paris, France, and then travel by train to Le Mans. To get to Paris, teams traveled by train to either Salzburg or Munich, Germany, and then flew to Paris. Once there, teams had to travel to the Circuit de la Sarthe in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to change the tires on a race car and then drive a high-speed lap around the Circuit Bugatti with a professional driver. Once the lap was completed, they received their next clue at the winners' podium.
After the Roadblock, teams had to drive themselves to the Phare de Sainte Marie lighthouse in Marseille, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Fast Forward required one team to find the Musée de Tapisseries in Aix-en-Provence and then arrange a 20-piece puzzle to form a picture of the Château des Alpilles. Tian & Jaree won the Fast Forward.
Teams who did not attempt the Fast Forward had to drive to the Gorges du Blavet in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Ropes or Slopes. In Ropes, teams had to rappel down a cliff and then hike a short way to the clue. In Slopes, teams would have had to walk down a much longer trail to the same clue. All teams chose Ropes.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Château des Alpilles in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Amsterdam, Netherlands. Once there, teams had to find the "White Skinny Bridge" (the Magere Brug), where they found their next clue. Teams had to take a boat and, using a provided map, navigate through the Amsterdam canals to the Scheepvaart Museum, in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Fast Forward required one team to travel to the Molen van Sloten. There, each team member was strapped onto the sails of the windmill and had to endure ten rotations once the windmill was set in motion. Millie & Chuck won the Fast Forward.
This leg's Detour was a choice between 500 Kilograms or 15 Feet. In 500 Kilograms, teams drove to Alkmaar's outdoor market, donned wooden clogs, and used a wooden stretcher to carry cheese from a stockpile to a scale. Once they'd transported exactly 500 kilograms (1,100lb) of cheese, teams received their next clue. In 15 Feet, teams drove to a ranch outside Amsterdam that processed cow manure into fertilizer, and had to search through a pile of manure 15 feet (4.6m) high for their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to get on a marked boat, catch 25 eels with their hands, and transfer them in a container in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the Muiden Castle in Muiden.
Leg 6 (Netherlands → India)
For one half of the Detour in Mumbai, teams had to wash a bundle of clothing in Dhobi Ghat to find a printed clue.
Episode: "I Could Have Never Been Prepared For What I'm Looking at Right Now" (July 3, 2003)
Prize: A seven-night cruise to the Hubbard Glacier (awarded to David & Jeff)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Mumbai, India. Once there, teams had to travel to Film City, where they were directed to ride bicycles through the movie backlot to a Bollywood sound stage, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Suds or Duds. In Suds, teams had to find an outdoor laundromat in Dhobi Ghat and hand wash a bundle of clothing in order to reveal their next clue imprinted on one piece of the clothing. In Duds, teams had to locate a clothing shop and search through hundreds of saris in order to find one imprinted with the clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Sassoon Docks in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to carry twenty fish out of a large catch of mixed fish to the market manager in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the Gateway of India.
Leg 7 (India)
The Finishing Point houseboat at Punnamada Lake in Alleppey served as the Pit Stop for this leg.
Episode 7: "We're Going Down the Wrong Side of The Freeway... and the Lights Are Off!" (July 10, 2003)
Prize: A seven-night cruise to the Western Caribbean (awarded to David & Jeff)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by overnight train to Ernakulam Junction in the Ernakulam neighborhood of Kochi. Once there, teams had to search along a stretch of highway for a clue hidden amongst thousands of yellow-and-red billboards.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to take part in bull racing by hanging onto a team of bulls running across a mud course in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Beach Road in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Baskets or Trunks. In Baskets, teams had to load ten live chickens into baskets on a bicycle-powered wagon and then pedal to a farm, where they could exchange the chickens for their next clue. In Trunks, teams had to load two bales of coir onto an elephant and then ride the elephant to a coir shop, trading their cargo for their next clue.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Once there, teams went to the Monsopiad Cultural Village, where they received a traditional Malaysian blessing and their next clue. They were directed to travel to Jesselton Point, which was referred to as the "Kota Kinabalu Boat Jetty", and had to choose a boat that took them to a fishing trawler, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Net or Trap. In Net, teams had to take their boat to a fishing platform and use a net to catch fifteen fish out of a pen in order to receive their next clue. In Trap, teams had to take their boat to a group of lobster boats and pull up one weighted lobster trap in order to retrieve the clue from inside.
After the Detour, teams had to travel by boat to Manukan Island in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to hit three targets using three different Malaysian weapons: a bow and arrow, a blowpipe, and a spear. After successfully hitting all three targets, teams could run to the nearby Pit Stop.
Additional note
This was a non-elimination leg.
Leg 9 (Malaysia)
For the Roadblock, team members climbed Gomantong Caves, known for their intricate limestone formations.
Episode 9: "We're Not at Charm School Learning How to Be a Gentleman, We're Racing" (July 24, 2003)
Prize: A Latin American vacation (awarded to Reichen & Chip)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by boat back to the mainland and then drive to the Poring Hot Springs in Ranau. There, teams had to cross a series of tree bridges in order to reach their next clue, which directed them to the Trushidup palm oil plantation in Sandakan.
This leg's Fast Forward required one team to drive to the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary. There, the team had to hike to a feeding station in the jungle and feed two pieces of fruit to an orangutan. Reichen & Chip won the Fast Forward.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Chop or Haul. In Chop, teams had to chop down palm nut bunches with a clue attached. However, only one out of every four envelopes contained a clue. In Haul, teams used a wheelbarrow to carry 25 palm nut bunches to a truck. When the truck was fully loaded, it was driven forward and revealed the teams' next clue underneath.
After the Detour, teams had to drive to Gomantong Caves in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to climb a rattan ladder to a point 50 feet (15m) above the Gomantong Caves floor in order to grab a basket and retrieve their next clue from inside.
After the Roadblock, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Sepilok Nature Resort.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel to the Puu Jih Shih Temple and search through thousands of tiny Buddha figurines for one with their names on it. Behind the figurine was a key to a rattan bag holding their next clue, which instructed them to return to Kota Kinabalu and then fly to Seoul, South Korea. Once there, teams had to travel to Namsan Park and find their next clue at the base of the Seoul Tower. Team then had to travel to Rafting Korea in the Sundam Valley in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to plunge into the icy Hantan River and swim under the ice to an exit hole. Once their body temperature rose to a safe level, a doctor cleared them to leave and gave them their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams were instructed to travel back to Seoul and to search Station 228 of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Strong Hands or Strong Stomach. In Strong Hands, teams used a map to find a Taekwondodojang, where both team members had to break three sets of wooden boards in order to receive their next clue. In Strong Stomach, teams used a map to find a restaurant where both team members had to eat san-nakji – raw octopus – in order to receive their next clue.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to go to Hangang Park, where they had to pull on a string in order to release their next clue dangling from a kite. This clue instructed teams to fly to Brisbane, Australia.
This season's final Fast Forward required one team to drive to a beach on the Sunshine Coast and pass a lifeguard test by paddling surfboards into a heavy surf, pulling a swimmer out of the water, and returning her safely to the beach. David & Jeff won the Fast Forward.
Teams who did not attempt the Fast Forward had to travel to the Holiday Inn hotel and find the concierge, who led them to the penthouse, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Face First or Foot First. In Face First, teams had to complete a face-first rappel from the penthouse to the ground in order to receive their next clue. In Foot First, teams would have had to locate a nearby Sheraton hotel, race downstairs from the penthouse, across the street, and then up thirty stories to the roof where they would have received their next clue. All teams chose Face First.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to don scuba gear, walk through an aquarium filled with sharks and rays, and then retrieve their clue from a treasure chest on the aquarium floor.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel on foot to the Pit Stop: the Mooloolaba Yacht Club.
At the start of this leg, teams had to search through one of three piles of wool in Ferny Hills for their next clue, which instructed them to fly to Cairns. Once there, teams had to drive to Wild World, where they had to follow a path to the crocodile pen. One team member had to use a feeding stick to feed a crocodile while their teammate took a picture with a digital camera. They then had to find the souvenir shop and develop their picture, where they found their next clue printed on the back.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Saddle or Paddle. In Saddle, teams had to search a stretch of beach on horseback in order to find one of four route markers, and then search a 25-yard (23m) radius for a cluster of clue envelopes. However, only one cluster contained the correct clue, while the other three instructed them to try again. In Paddle, teams would have had to inflate a kayak using a hand pump, push the kayak into the ocean, and paddle to an orange buoy in order to retrieve their next clue. All teams chose Saddle.
After the Detour, teams had to drive to Off Road Rush in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to drive a race buggy at high speeds through a seven-mile (11km) course in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: Ellis Beach.
At the start of this leg, teams traveled to the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, where they observed a traditional Aboriginal ceremony. After the ceremony, teams were presented with their next clue, which directed them to the General Aviation Terminal at Cairns Airport.
This season's final Detour was a choice between Wing It or Wander It. In Wing It, teams had to skydive in tandem with an instructor in order to retrieve their next clue at the landing zone. In Wander It, teams would have had to drive to a mangrove forest, find a boat, and then navigate out of the forest to the skydive landing zone in order to retrieve their next clue. All teams chose Wing It.
In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to swim out to a floating tiki head and then dive down to retrieve a large stone from the ocean floor. They then had to carry it back to the beach and smash it open using an assortment of tools in order to find the clue inside.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where they followed a path over a bed of volcanic rock to their next clue, which instructed them to fly to Phoenix, Arizona. Once there, teams had to find their next clue at the anchor of the USS Arizona at the Arizona Memorial. Teams were then instructed to travel to Sun Devil Stadium, where they had to solve a riddle in order to locate a specific seat where they found their final clue, which directed them to the finish line at Papago Park.
Additional note
David & Jeff, thinking they could get a faster flight to Hawaii through Sydney, were stranded in the Sydney Airport for so long that by the time they finally arrived in Hawaii, they received notification that the other teams had already crossed the finish line in Phoenix.[11]
Reception
Critical response
Compared to the first three seasons, which were positively received, The Amazing Race 4 received more mixed reviews. Linda Holmes of Television Without Pity wrote "I loved a lot of things about the season, but that ending blew."[12]Heather Havrilesky of Salon wrote that "'The Amazing Race' has always been an imaginative and well-produced show, but this year's lineup of couples has offered more hilarious calamities and personality clashes than usual."[13] Kareem Gantt of Screen Rant wrote that "season four may not have had a cast that was particularly likable, but it did visit some cool locations".[14] In 2016, this season was ranked 22nd out of the first 27 seasons by the Rob Has a Podcast Amazing Race correspondents.[15] In 2024, Rhenn Taguiam of Game Rant placed this season within the bottom 13 out of 36.[16]
Awards
In 2004, this season of The Amazing Race won the series its second consecutive Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Competition Program.[17]
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