'The Amazing Race' eliminates Racers Brandon Squyres and Adam Switzer

The Amazing Race eliminated Racers Brandon Squyres and Adam Switzer during Sunday night's fifth broadcast of the CBS reality competition's 23rd season.


The "Childhood Friends and Beard Lovers" became the fourth team eliminated from the around-the-world competition after they arrived at the Race's fifth Pit Stop at Sopot Pier, the longest wooden pier in Europe, in last place upon completion of a super-leg in which they had checked in with The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan in first place halfway through but did not experience a rest period of any kind.

"We went from first to last. I'm not so worried about losing the money, but it's been a lot of fun running this Race and I'm a little sad that we're missing the rest of it," Adam said following his team's ouster.

"We couldn't buy this experience with the million dollars," Brandon added. "But we've been doing crazy stuff together before the Race started, and it's not going to stop just because the Race is over. I just can't wait to see what the next adventure that we do together is."

The fifth episode of The Amazing Race's 23rd edition picked up right where last week's broadcast had left off, with the Race's eight remaining teams checking in with Phil halfway through the super-leg one by one and discovering they must keep racing.


Brandon and Adam were previously shown checking in to the Pit Stop at the Viking Longhouse in Svolvaer, Norway, in first place and winning $5,000 each. Their next clue instructed them to travel by boat and plane more than 1,500 miles to Gdansk, Poland, and then upon landing, make their way to Solidarity Square at the gates of Stocznia Cdanska, a shipyard where they'd find their next clue.

The clue also warned there would be a Double U-Turn ahead in which two teams could choose to slow down two other teams by forcing them to complete the other side of the upcoming Detour task.

"Dating Couple" Jason Case and Amy Diaz then arrived at the fourth Pit Stop in second place. They were then followed by "Married ER Doctors" Nicole Jasper and Travis Jasper in third, "Cousins" Leo Temory and Jamal Zadran in fourth, "Exes" Timothy Sweeney and Marie "Reebs" Mazzocchi in fifth, "Best Friends" Tim Wiyninger and Daniel "Danny" Merkey in sixth, "LA Kings Ice Crew Girls" Allison "Ally" Mello and Ashley Covert in seventh, and finally "Baseball Wives" Nicole "Nicky" Getz and Kim DeJesus in eighth -- and last -- place.

However, Nicky and Kim were not eliminated and were told to keep racing.

Timothy and Marie agreed to give their extra Express Pass to Travis and Nicole after the pair helped them with directions to the Viking Longhouse, however, Timothy and Marie didn't physically hand it over to them yet.


The next available boat out of Svolvaer was at 8:30PM that night, so the rest of the teams got to catch up to Brandon and Adam and everyone was on a level playing field.

While on the boat for about a full day-and-a-half, Timothy and Marie quietly gave their Express Pass to Travis and Nicole. Timothy and Marie asked the couple to keep quiet so there wouldn't be a target on either of their backs, and they were also hoping the other teams might still assume they had possession of the pass -- therefore allowing Timothy and Marie to maintain their power for a little longer.

Once their flight eventually landed, Timothy and Marie left the airport in Poland in last place because they had trouble flagging down a cab. Meanwhile, Leo and Jamal and Ally and Ashley got lost on their way to the shipyard. Timothy and Marie and Brandon and Adam struggled with the directions as well, and Jason and Amy's knowledgeable cab driver wouldn't help Brandon and Adam out.

Tim and Danny were the first team to arrive at the Stocznia Cdanska shipyard. They were soon followed by Jason and Amy, Nicole and Travis, Nicky and Kim, Brandon and Adam, Leo and Jamal, Ally and Ashley, and finally Timothy and Marie.

The teams' next set of clues required them to travel by taxi to the Golden Gate, where they'd find their next clue.


Tim and Danny arrived at the gate first, and they were then followed by Nicole and Travis, Jason and Amy, Nicky and Kim, Brandon and Adam, Ally and Ashley, Leo and Jamal, and Timothy and Marie.

The teams then had to select one of two possible Detour tasks: "Pose" or "Polka."

"Pose" required the teams to copy the stance of a statue of Neptune to earn donations from spectators. Once they collected a specific amount of money, they'd receive their next clue.

"Polka" required the teams to learn and perform a choreographed routine in full costume to the satisfaction of their instructor, who would then hand them their next clue.

Tim and Danny, Nicole and Travis, Jason and Amy, Leo and Jamal, and Ally and Ashley opted to attempt the "Polka" task. Nicky and Kim and Brandon and Adam were the only teams to take on the "Pose" task.


Timothy and Marie decided to use their Express Pass to skip the Detour task since they were pretty far behind the pack already. They also wanted to make sure they didn't get U-Turned by anyone.

Brandon and Adam really struggled with the posing task at first, as money seemed to pour in for Nicky and Kim but barely came in for them. Therefore, they decided to switch tasks halfway through and take on the dancing one instead.

Meanwhile, Tim and Danny went at their polka routine over and over again. They couldn't get it right but stuck with it until they completed it to the satisfaction of their dance instructor.

Nicky and Kim finished the Detour in first place. Their next clue instructed them to search the riverfront and find the Medieval Harbor Crane, where the Double U-Turn board awaited them. They did, however, have trouble finding the location.

Jason and Amy then finished up the Detour task and they were followed by Nicole and Travis, Tim and Danny, Ally and Ashley, Leo and Jamal, and Brandon and Adam.


Jason and Amy were the first team to arrive at the Double U-Turn board at Harbor Crane, but they chose not to U-Turn anyone. Timothy and Marie arrived there next and also decided not to take advantage of the U-Turn. Nicky and Kim made it to the destination next and opted out of using the U-Turn.

Tim and Danny then arrived at Harbor Crane and chose to U-Turn Leo and Jamal, because they were confident the guys were behind them. Nicole and Travis then decided against using the U-Turn. Once Leo and Jamal made it to the board next, they realized they had been U-Turned and therefore decided to U-Turn Brandon and Adam -- who were behind them.

Ally and Ashley arrived at the board next and didn't U-Turn anyone. Finally, Brandon and Adam made it to Harbor Crane and realized they had been U-Turned.

As a result, Leo and Jamal and Brandon and Adam had to go back and complete the other side of the Detour task, which in both of their cases happened to be the "Pose" task. Leo and Jamal finished before Brandon and Adam, who at this point in the Race, definitely knew they were in last place.

The teams were then instructed to make their way to the Faldwiec Building, the longest apartment building in Poland. 

Timothy and Marie got their first since they used their Express Pass to skip over the Detour task. They were then followed by Jason and Amy, Nicky and Kim, Nicole and Travis, Tim and Danny, Ally and Ashley, Leo and Jamal, and Brandon and Adam.


Once at Faldwiec Building, one member of each team was required to complete a Roadblock task.

For the Roadblock, the team members had to use 12 addresses provided, search the enormous complex for a traditional rose paczki pastry, and then bite into it to determine whether they had found the correct flavor. Once they found the right donut, they'd receive their next clue.

Marie and Amy opted to do the Roadblock task on behalf of their teams, and they chose to work together. Travis also did the task and ultimately joined forces with the two girls. Kim, Danny, Ashley, Leo, and Adam also took on the task.

Travis and Nicole were the first pair to finish the Roadblock, and they were soon followed by Timothy and Marie, Jason and Amy, Tim and Danny, Nicky and Kim, Ally and Ashley, Leo and Jamal, and finally Brandon and Adam.

The teams then learned they must search for Phil on the Sopot Pier, which is the longest wooden pier in Europe that would serve as the Race's fifth Pit Stop. Timothy and Marie, Jason and Amy and Nicole and Travis were all neck and neck, and it came down to a foot race to the finish line.

Timothy and Marie met Phil on the Pit Stop mat in first place and discovered they had won a trip for two to Hawaii. Jason and Amy subsequently secured second place and Nicole and Travis finished in third.


Following Nicole and Travis were Nicky and Kim in fourth, Tim and Danny in fifth, Leo and Jamal in sixth, Ally and Ashley in seventh, and finally Brandon and Adam in eighth -- and last -- place.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski