'The Amazing Race' crowns Jason Case and Amy Diaz champions

The Amazing Race crowned Jason Case and Amy Diaz the winners of its 23rd season during Sunday night's broadcast of the CBS reality competition's two-hour finale.


"This race for us was never about a finish line. It was about coming out here and working together as a team and being determined to finish every goal -- just to push through every single leg of the Race, and we did it!... It couldn't have worked out any better. We're taking it back home to Boston. Boston Strong," Jason said after he and Amy finished the final leg in first place.

"Now that we completed the Race, we've experienced so many highs and lows. I really do feel we can undertake everything. This is definitely the beginning of my happily ever after," Amy said.

The "Dating Couple" team was the first team to cross the 23rd season of The Amazing Race's finish line in Juneau, Alaska, claiming the $1 million grand prize.

"Exes" Timothy Sweeney and Marie "Reebs" Mazzocchi finished in second place.


"When I looked [casting] up, the day to apply, the deadline was that day and [Tim] was next to me," Marie said, explaining why she raced with her ex-boyfriend when they don't even get along most of the time.

"Tim was a great partner. He was totally awful preparing for it; He didn't do anything. But I knew he was going to be a great partner when we got here... The Amazing Race was a rollercoaster. There's just highs and lows and it tests you and pushes you. In some weird friend kind of way, of course we love each other. We're always going to be in each other's lives and we'll always be there for the other one. Yeah, we love each other."

"Married ER Doctors" Nicole Jasper and Travis Jasper claimed third place.

"I think [our kids are] going to be real proud. We're excited that we made it to the finals, but I wanted to win," Travis said.

"I know I disappointed you. I'm sorry. But I tried. I did try. Travis gets down really hard on me. His expectations of me are that I'm supposed to be the perfect woman. I think it's important for our children to realize that in life, sometimes things will go really well, and sometimes, things don't always go well. But no matter what, you work through it and you don't give up," Nicole explained in tears.


"Nicole, I love you no matter what -- through the good and bad," Travis noted. "This is just a race. So do I get disappointed sometimes? Yes. But I only got disappointed because I have such expectations that you're going to be out of this world, and sometimes, it's in the world."

The two-part eleventh episode of The Amazing Race's 23rd edition began with the Race's four remaining teams leaving the tenth Pit Stop at the bottom of Cimahi Waterfall in Indonesia's Cisarua district.

Since they had been the team to finish in first place at the Race's tenth Pit Stop, Jason and Amy were the first team to depart from the waterfall at 1:25AM. Following Jason and Amy were Tim and Marie at 2:25AM, Nicole and Travis at 2:26AM, and "Cousins" Leo Temory and Jamal Zadran at 3:19AM. Leo and Jamal were anticipating a Speed Bump in the next leg for finishing the prior non-elimination leg in last place.

Upon opening their departure clues, the teams were instructed to fly north to Tokyo, Japan, and then once they've landed, head to the Gotokuji Temple filled with hundreds or ceramic cat statues. The statues are a popular Japanese lucky charm that invites happiness. There, they'd find their next clue.

Jason and Amy planned to keep working with Travis and Nicole to secure themselves in the Final 3. There were two flight options that would get the teams to Tokyo at either 6:10AM or 6:20AM the following morning. The earlier flight traveled through Hong Kong and the 6:20AM flight stopped in Bankgkok. However the 6:10AM flight was full, so everyone got on the flight that arrived at 6:20AM except for Leo and Jamal.


Leo and Jamal found a different flight that would take them to Singapore and then Hong Kong and then Tokyo. They got two seats on a flight that would take them into Tokyo 10-15 minutes ahead of the other teams.

All the teams decided they wanted to stick together and get Leo and Jamal out. Nicole said they needed to work as a team of six rather than teams of two.

Leo and Jamal's flight landed at 6:12AM. They immediately grabbed a taxi and headed to the temple. The three other teams' flight subsequently touched down in Tokyo at 6:17AM. The alliance of six quickly fell apart in a race to get a taxi. A couple taxi drivers didn't know where the temple was and asked for an address or telephone number, which the Racers didn't have.

However, Marie had the address in her possession and told everyone if they helped her get a cab, she'd share the address with them. Travis seemed turned off by Marie's little stunt and decided to work solely with Jason and Amy. Tim was shocked everyone fell through on their word so fast.

Leo and Jamal arrived at the temple before any of the other teams. They were then followed by Nicole and Travis, Tim and Marie, and Jason and Amy. However, the three teams behind Leo and Jamal were neck and neck, still working together for the most part.


When the teams received their next set of clues, they learned it was time to complete one of two Detour tasks: "Knock it Down" or "Call it Up."

"Knock it Down" required the teams to become a human bowling ball for a game show by riding down a hill on a sled. They had to dress up in an elaborate costume and become the bowling ball, trying to knock down all the pins. Once they scored a strike, they'd receive their next clue.

"Call it Up" required the teams to make a phone call inside a giant fish tank. Only two teams could attempt the task at the same time. One team member had to jump in a giant fish tank wearing a skimpy swimsuit to make a call and then run over to his or her partner to share the information he or she had heard. When the correct information was relayed to the judge, the teams would earn their next clue.

Leo and Jamal opted to take on the "Knock it Down" task because they always wanted to participate in a Japanese game show. Tim and Marie and Jason and Amy also wanted to try the game show. Nicole and Travis chose to attempt "Call it Up."

Tim and Marie, Jason and Amy, and Nicole and Travis' taxis all brought them to the location of the "Call it Up" task. Nicole and Travis and Jason and Amy knew where they had to go and left a confused Tim and Marie behind. They tried not to attract attention to themselves but ended up running, which made it obvious they were up to something.


Meanwhile, Tim and Marie got back in a cab to try to find the destination of the game show task. Jason and Amy didn't understand why Tim and Marie wouldn't just try the Detour that was right there rather than risk driving around and getting lost to find the other place. 

Amy and Travis got inside the fish tank. Tim and Marie struggled with the bowling task at first because they couldn't figure out what was the best strategy.

Leo and Jamal finished the Detour in first place. They were soon followed by Jason and Amy, Nicole and Travis, and Tim and Marie.

The next set of clues instructed the teams to make their way to Shinjuku Chuo Koen. Leo and Jamal wanted the other teams to believe they had missed their flight or something so everyone would be fairly relaxed.

Leo and Jamal arrived at Shinjuku Chuo Koen in first place and realized they had to complete their Speed Bump task. For the Speed Bump, Leo and Jamal were instructed to become apprentice zookeepers and capture an escaped rhino from a local zoo. Once the animal had been contained, they could continue racing.

While Leo and Jamal were chasing around a giant fake rhino, Nicole and Travis showed up followed by Jason and Amy and eventually Tim and Marie. It the became time for one member of each team to complete a Roadblock task.


For the Roadblock, the Racers had to build a robot. When the engineer approved of their work, they'd receive their next clue.

Amy and Nicole got a jump on the Roadblock task and decided to work with one another per usual. Leo and Jamal soon joined them and then Tim and Marie finally arrived. Marie ended up doing very well, passing Amy and Nicole. Meanwhile, Travis and Jason watched the girls struggle and wished they had done the task instead. Once Amy figured out their mistake, they started over from scratch to correct it.

When Marie finished the task before everyone else, a proud Tim yelled out bragging, "Alliance this!"

Jason and Amy completed the Roadblock task in second place. Amy, however, spent 7-10 minutes helping Nicole get hers right before leaving, and Jason was really frustrated about the hold-up. Nicole and Travis finished in third place, and because Leo had a lot of trouble putting his robot together, he and Jamal finished the task in fourth place.

The teams then learned they must find a roaming vending machine amongst the hustle of the Tokyo streets.

Tim and Marie found the machine first followed by Jason and Amy, Nicole and Travis, and finally Leo and Jamal.


The Racers' next set of clues required them to travel on foot to the Konno Hachimangu Shrine, which would serve as the Race's eleventh Pit Stop.

Tim and Marie stepped on the Pit Stop mat and were greeted by The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan in first place. For coming in first place, the pair won a trip for two to Aruba. The couple won two trips this season, so Marie noted they were going to pull the places out of a hat and go separately.

Jason and Amy made it to the Pit Stop in second place, and then Nicole and Travis subsequently secured third place.

Leo and Jamal finally met Phil on the mat in fourth -- and last -- place, learning their elimination fate.

"I'm really disappointed, really sad. But at the same time, it was one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life," Leo explained following his team's ouster just before the finale.

"I wouldn't trade it for anything. I got to do it with my best friend, my cousin. And along the way, we learned a lot about ourselves and each other. The Afghanimals had the best time -- one of the best times of their lives. We were running around the world like crazy. It's amazing."


"It sure is," added Jamal. It's 'The Amazing Crazy Race.'"

The second half of The Amazing Race's finale broadcast then began with the Race's Final 3 teams leaving the course's eleventh Pit Stop for the twelfth and final leg in a race around the world.

Tim and Marie departed the shrine in first place at 6:08AM. Jason and Amy then took off at 6:15AM, and they were followed by Nicole and Travis at 6:22AM.

Upon opening their departure clues, the teams were instructed to fly more than 5,700 miles to Juneau, Alaska. After landing, they must make their way to Douglas Island Harbor and take a boat to Grizzly Bar, where they'd find their next clue.

Marie revealed she had made Tim sign a contract that if they were to win, she'd get 60% of the money and he agreed. As for Jason and Amy, they felt they were one of the strongest teams to appear on The Amazing Race in awhile. They tied the record with six second-place finishes. Meanwhile, Nicole and Travis planned to cut ties with Jason and Amy and win the million on their own.

All the teams took the same flight into Juneau. Nicole and Travis grabbed the first-available taxi. All three teams then got on a boat one after the other, and it was tight.


Nicole and Travis got to the Grizzly Bar in the first place. Jason and Amy were right behind them in second. Tim and Marie read their clue in third place.

It then became time for one member of each team to complete a Roadblock task. For the Roadblock, the Racers had to fly at 60mph at least 150 feet above the ground and drop a bag of flour onto a mark on the ground. Once they hit the target, they'd receive their next clue.

All three girls had chosen to do the task on behalf of their teams. Amy nailed the target on her second try. Marie got it on her twelfth attempt. Nicole really struggled with the task again and Travis felt helpless on the ground. Nicole finally reached the target on her 21st attempt.

The teams then learned they must take part in an Alaskan ice expedition. They had to choose a mountain guide, make their way to the face of a glacier, look for their next clue frozen in the ice, and then use an ice axe to chip it out. The task was very challenging, scary and physically demanding. It involved a lot of climbing and hiking.

Jason and Amy found their clue before any of the other teams. Tim and Marie found their clue next, and they were soon followed by Nicole and Travis.

The next set of clues required the teams to hike down to the shore and paddle a kayak to the Marked Island, where they'd find their next clue.


Amy and Jason got to Marked Island first and were then instructed to take a helicopter back to Juneau and proceed to Blueberry Hills Trailhead, where they'd find their next clue. The teams arrived at the Trailhead in the same order they had left the ice-chipping task.

Once at Blueberry Hills Trailhead, the teams' next set of clues instructed them to build a wall of totem poles by spelling out the name of the currency from each of the countries they had visited, arranging them chronologically. Once their money was in order, they'd receive their final clue and race to the finish line.

Amy was upset because she had written down and studied everything except for the countries' currency. Jason was in the same boat, saying it was much harder than it looked.

Tim and Marie arrived at the task while Amy and Jason were plugging along. Tim and Marie remembered most of the currency. As for Nicole and Travis, they got to the final task in third place.

Jason and Amy finished the final task in first place. They then made their way to the end of the North Douglas Highway and looked for the marked drive. Tim and Marie seemed to finish closely behind them. Nicole and Travis were in third place and Travis was more aggravated than ever, saying Nicole had basically screwed up the last four Roadblock tasks and this one was no different.

Jason and Amy then ran to Phil at the Pit Stop and all previously-eliminated teams were awaiting them and proudly cheering them on.


"Four continents, nine countries, more than 35,000 miles -- Jason and Amy, you have won the one million dollars and you are the official winners of The Amazing Race. After six second-place finishes, you've run in here on the final leg of The Amazing Race and you have won it!" Phil exclaimed.

"We didn't come in second place!" Amy said in tears and disbelief.

"We just won The Amazing Race!"

Tim and Marie seemed let down and disappointed when they crossed the finish line in second place. However, they were still in good spirits.

When asked why he agreed to give Marie 60% of the money if they were to actually win, Tim replied, "She threatened to not come on the Race unless I signed [a contract]. And you know what? If you put me on my death bed and said, 'Would you like to do this with Marie? The coast of Norway? The castles in Portugal?' I could go on and on and on. So you know what?! No amount of money is worth [giving that up]."

When Nicole and Travis approached the Pit Stop, Nicole cried but Travis tried to console her. Nicole just hoped their children would be proud of them.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski