The Amazing Race Racers  ran a strong leg and finished in first place during Sunday night's broadcast of the CBS reality competition's 21st season.

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The "Dating Couple" arrived at the 21st edition's seventh Pit Stop at Bolshoi Theater, a nineteenth century theater in Moscow, Russia, in first place.

They were then followed by "Chippendales Dancers and Best Friends" Jaymes Vaughan and James Davis in second place, "Twin Sisters" Natalie Anderson and Nadiya Anderson in third and "Friends" James LoMenzo and Mark "Abba" Abbattista in fourth place.

The fate of the remaining two teams -- "Dating Divorcees" Abbie Ginsberg and Ryan Danz and "Goat Farmers and Life Partners" Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge -- wasn't shown, as the episode concluded with both pairs still attempting to complete the leg. Whether the seventh leg was a non-elimination leg was also left to be revealed during next week's broadcast.

The seventh episode of The Amazing Race's 21st season began where last week's broadcast left off, with the Race's six teams meeting with The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan and leaving the course's sixth Pit Stop at the Savarona ship, which was originally purchased for the founder of the Republic of Turkey, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Since they had been the team to finish in first place at the Race's sixth Pit Stop, Trey and Lexi were the first team to depart at 12:35PM. Following Trey and Lexi were Abbie and Ryan at 12:56PM, James L. and Abba at 1:03PM, Natalie and Nadiya at 1:44PM, Jaymes V. and James D. at 1:55PM, and finally Josh and Brent at 2:07PM.

Upon opening their departure clues, the teams were instructed to fly to Moscow, Russia. Upon landing, they'd be required to make their way to Zurab Tsereteli Sculpture Park to receive their next clue.

The teams quickly discussed their options with travel agents and searched online for what would seem to be the earliest available and fastest flight into Moscow. Jaymes V. and James D., along with Abba and James L., found a flight via Amsterdam that was scheduled to arrive at 2AM.

Josh and Brent and Abbie and Ryan secured a flight that would connect in Frankfurt with a one-hour layover and arrive in Moscow at 3AM. Trey and Lexi and Natalie and Nadiya found a flight that would arrive in Moscow via a Munich connecting flight at 4AM that next morning.

However, Abbie and Ryan and Josh and Brent's flight was delayed, and they ended up missing their connecting flight in Frankfurt. The team was very discouraged to learn soon afterwards that their next available flight into Moscow wasn't until 3:10PM later that day -- automatically putting both teams about a half-a-day behind the other four teams.

After "Chippendale Dancers" and James L. and Abba's flight landed, the two teams rushed off to the sculpture park. They both got the around the same time and before any other teams but quickly discovered the park's hours of operation were 9:30AM to 5PM. Therefore, they had to wait for the doors to open.

In the meantime, Trey and Lexi and Natalie and Nadiya arrived after their flight had touched down at 4AM, which was two hours behind the three Jaymes, the two James and Abba.

The four groups then waited together and realized Abbie and Ryan -- whom most of the teams found very competitive and threatening -- and Josh and Brent were nowhere to be seen. They figured the two teams had missed a flight or got on a much later one somehow. 

When the clock struck 9:30AM, the park opened and the four teams received their next set of clues, which instructed them to make their way to Moskvoretsky Most and search for two guards who would hand them their next clue.

James L. and Abba were the first team to find the guards, and they were soon followed by Trey and Lexi, Natalie and Nadiya, and Jaymes V. and James D. At this point, Abbie and Ryan and Josh and Brent were way behind.

It then became time for the teams to complete one of two Detour tasks: "Alphabetized" or "Synchronized."

"Alphabetized" required the teams to choose a librarian, who would give them a list of books with their information in Russian. Selecting four books from the list, the teams learned they must go through hundreds of card catalogs to find each book's location and then search the aisles to retrieve the books. Once they collected all four books, they'd receive their next clue.

"Synchronized" required the teams to learn and perform a choreographed synchronized swimming routine in time with music. They'd perform the routine with Russia's gold medal team.

James L. and Abba and Trey and Lexi opted to take on the "Alphabetized" task, while Jaymes V. and James D. and Natalie and Nadiya chose to attempt the "Synchronized" Detour task.

However, James L. and Abba found the book task too taxing and difficult, so they chose to switch tasks and try the "Synchronized" one instead. They didn't have much better luck with the swimming task, but they at least were able to finish it in time after many attempts.

Natalie and Nadiya also struggled greatly with the "Synchronized" task. They really wanted to use the Express Pass they had received earlier in the Race to skip the task entirely, but Jaymes V. and James D. gave the girls good advice. The men told them to not waste their pass since they knew they were far ahead of Abbie and Ryan and Josh and Brent. The guys gave them motivation to keep going and pull through.

Trey and Lexi were the first team to complete their Detour task. They were then followed by Jaymes V. and James D., Natalie and Nadiya and James L. and Abba.

The teams then learned they must make their way to The Luzhkov Most and search for the "trees of love" to find their next clue.

The teams arrived at the "trees of love" in the same order they had finished the previous Detour tasks. Once there, the teams were required to complete a Roadblock task.

For the Roadblock, one member of each team was instructed to find a Race ribbon and discover which key would open all 10 of its locks to ultimately unlock the "trees of love." Trey, James D., Natalie, and Abba opted to take on the Roadblock task for his or her team.

Meanwhile, Abbie and Ryan and Josh and Brent's flight into Moscow landed and they made a pact to race the leg together. They traveled in taxis close together and planned to help each other out since they were already so far behind the other teams. Once both teams arrived at the guards at the Moskvoretsky Most, they wanted to attempt the "Alphabetized" Detour task only to find out the library closed at 4PM.

Therefore, both pairs were forced to try the "Synchronized" task. Brent was especially worried because not only did he lack swimming skills, but both himself and Josh also weren't great at learning dance routines or any type of choreography.

Surprisingly, Abbie and Ryan finished the Detour task before Josh and Brent but decided to wait for the two guys to complete it before moving on in the leg. Ryan discussed how they had promised the guys they'd work together and wait for one another to finish all tasks, so he told viewers he and Abbie were keeping their word. 

Meanwhile, James L. and Abba were attempting to complete the "trees of love" Roadblock task, and they realized their cab driver had taken off with their belongings although the pair had asked him to wait for them. James L. and Abba assumed they had allowed too much time to elapse for the cab driver to remain waiting, but they had left their money, bags and Abba's passport in the cab.

Abba ended up finishing the Roadblock task, but the team was worried they'd end up being eliminated in the Race due to Abba's missing passport even if they did not finish in last place. Without a means to travel through different countries, the men didn't think they'd have much of a chance to continue on unless their belongings showed up somehow. 

Trey and Lexi were the first team to complete the Roadblock task, and they were soon followed by Jaymes V. and James D., Natalie and Nadiya, and James L. and Abba. Abbie and Ryan and Josh and Brent were never shown making it that far in the leg, as the episode concluded with Josh and Brent still trying to finish the "Synchronized" Detour task.

The teams' next set of clues instructed them to figure out that the picture on the back of one of their Russian rubles was The Bolshoi Theater, which would serve as the seventh leg's Pit Stop.

Trey and Lexi were the first team to arrive at the theater, and they were followed by Jaymes V. and James D., Natalie and Nadiya, and James L. and Abba.

The episode ended with a cliffhanger, as Phil noted Abba didn't have his passport but didn't explain what was going to happen to the team because of that cab incident. As for Josh and Brent and Abbie and Ryan, they were still at the Detour task.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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