'The Amazing Race' finale: Brooke Camhi and Scott Flanary crowned Season 29 champions

The Amazing Race crowned Brooke Camhi and Scott Flanary the winners of Season 29 during Thursday night's finale broadcast on CBS.


Scott, a 34-year-old recruiting manager from West Hollywood, CA, and Brooke, a 36-year-old criminal attorney from New York, NY, arrived at the final Pit Stop in Chicago, IL, in first place, therefore winning the $1 million grand prize.

"You started this race as strangers, and now, after nine countries, 17 cities and more than 36,000 miles racing around the world together, I am pleased to tell you that you have won $1 million and you are the official winners of The Amazing Race!" host Phil Keoghan told the pair as they hugged each other.

Although the winners were often at each other's throats during the Race, Scott said he picked the right partner when the season began, and Brooke was very thankful he had selected her.

"Brooke and I are very different people, but we wanted the same outcome. We both were extremely passionate about standing on this red carpet here today. So whatever it took to be here is what we were going to do. We used her skills, we used my skills, and we came out on top!" Scott told Phil.


"There are so many people whom I may have had more in common with but I wouldn't have been successful with. As much as we bickered or got frustrated with each other, we shared what most people never get to share," Brooke told the cameras.

Tara Carr, a 38-year-old U.S. Army officer from Alexandria, VA, and Joey Covino, a 46-year-old police sergeant from Saugus, MA, completed The Amazing Race in second place.

"We're elated, I mean, what more could we ask for? We ran a really good race and I'm really proud of what we accomplished as a team. I couldn't have asked for a better partner... He was strong when I was weak, and he kept reminding me, 'Be positive!' I learned so much from him," Tara explained.

"I couldn't have done anything without her," Joey shared. "She picked me. I was left in the wind... Running the race with Tara, it's been an epic ride for me. It has just been awesome."

London Kaye, a 27-year-old artist from Brooklyn, NY, and Logan Bauer, a 27-year-old surgical consultant from Columbus, GA, made it to the finish line in third place.


"It was just so lucky that we got paired up because we went further than I ever could have expected. We're definitely leaving the opposite of strangers. I feel like I know Logan in a totally different way. We just have a special relationship that I know will continue on in the future," London noted.

"Every leg, it was just like more and more surprises, and I became more and more impressed by her," Logan said of his teammate. "It's been an honor to race with her. She's like family at this point... It was just an incredible experience and there's no way to put a price tag on it, so I'm just happy we got to finish it."

The Amazing Race's Season 29 finale began with the remaining three teams being told by Phil they needed to fly about 6,000 miles from South Korea to Chicago, and then make their way to Chicagoland Speedway.

Once off the plane, Brooke and Scott decided to carry only fanny packs with them in the final leg -- rather than backpacks -- so in case they had to run, they'd have a light load. They were the first team to arrive at the speedway, a 1.5 mile race car track.

One member of each team had to sit behind the wheel while his or her partner worked hard in the pit to change a racing tire in under 40 seconds. The drivers then needed to make one lap around the track in under 48 seconds. If the Racers could move fast enough, they'd see a checkered flag wave in the air and then receive their next set of clues.


Tara and Joey got to the track in second place, and then London and Logan arrived in third place.

Brooke and London, who both opted to work in the pit, failed to change the tire on their first three attempts. Joey was therefore able to make up some time by changing his tire on the first try in 37 seconds.

When Scott was finally able to drive, his first lap was 10 seconds too slow. On his second try, he was only one second away from finishing the task. Tara initially drove the car about 20 seconds slower than required, and just like Scott, her second lap was one second short of completing the challenge. Scott and Tara, however, were both successful on their third attempts.

Logan's first lap was two seconds slow, but he nailed the drive on his second go-around.

Scott and Brooke finished the race car task in first place, with Tara and Joey right on their heels. London and Logan appeared to be at a close third.


The teams' next set of clues sent them to downtown Chicago, where they needed to find the Monroe Street Station, one of the below-ground stops on the city's famous L Train. They'd find a worker there who would hand over their next clue.

Brooke and Scott found their next clue before any of the other teams and learned they must solve three riddles to identify iconic city landmarks, collecting postcards containing letters as they went along. After unscrambling the letters, the teams would figure out their next destination.

Tara and Joey grabbed their clue from the worker in second place, and London and Logan remained in third.

The landmarks turned out to be Buckingham Fountain, Wabash Bridge, and Chicago Water Tower.

Brooke and Scott seemed to conquer the task extremely quickly and efficiently, as Scott kept reminding his teammate to hustle for $1 million. Meanwhile, the other two teams also remained calm and positive as they wandered the streets looking for locals wearing red and yellow clothing at each destination.


Brooke and Scott completed the task in first place and were then instructed to make their way to City Hall rooftop, where there was a secret garden. Once there, the city beekeeper would hand the teams their next clue.

While they were running there, Brooke started to cry from exhaustion in fear she was letting Scott down. Scott, however, assured her that he was just motivating her and they were doing just fine. Maintaining their lead, Brooke and Scott met the beekeeper in first place.

London and Logan found their third postcard in second place, and Tara and Joey fell behind into third place. However, Tara and Joey found the beekeeper before "Team LoLo."

The next set of clues sent the teams via taxi to Wrigleyville Dogs, where they must search for their next clue.

Brooke and Scott soon learned they must deliver 10 famous Chicago-style hotdogs to a rooftop overlooking Wrigley Field. Once there, the Racers had to hand out the hotdogs to hungry fans and look for Season 19 The Amazing Race winners, Ernie Halvorsen and Cindy Chiang, who would swap their franks for tickets to Wrigley Field.

Brooke and Scott seemed to get the job done in rapid speed, so they hurried to the field in first place. Tara and Joey delivered their hotdogs in second place, followed by London and Logan.


Once the teams stepped foot on Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs, they were required to use the hand-operated scoreboard to display the 11 destinations they visited during the Race.

Working from opposite sides of the stadium, teams had to figure out what place they finished in each location and communicate that information through a one-way radio. The teams then had to carry the giant-sized corresponding numbers up steep stairs and place them in the proper position.

When the numbers were in the correct order, teams had to solve an equation that would reveal a three-digit number representing an aisle in the ballpark, where teams would find their final clue on The Amazing Race.

While Brooke and Scott were working on their scoreboard, they could see Tara and Joey handing out hotdogs across the field. Tara and Joey's arrival shook Brooke and Scott up a bit, but Brooke was able to keep her composure under pressure.

Brooke and Scott completed the final task in first place and headed to home plate, where their next clue was waiting. The pair discovered they had to run to aisle 504, and at this time, Tara and Joey were shown starting the final scoreboard task.

Brooke and Scott discovered their last clue of The Amazing Race inside a closed seat.


The teams were sent to the finish line, their final stop of Season 29, at Milton Lee Olive Park, where Phil Keoghan was waiting for them.

Brooke and Scott appeared to hop in a taxi in no time, and Scott vented to the cameras, "We freakin' deserve this!"

Tara and Joey were then shown finishing the final task in second place. London and Logan seemed to be dragging behind the other two teams in a distant last place.

"Oh my God, we're going to win! We're going to win! You said we would never win!" Brooke cried to Scott as they were driving in the cab.

Knowing they were in first place, Brooke and Logan ran to the finish line holding hands with relief and excitement as all the previously-eliminated teams clapped for them.

"I have opened myself up to new experiences. I have pushed myself to new limits, and I have fulfilled a dream of a lifetime," Scott noted after claiming victory.


"The Race made me a better person," Brooke said. "I am a stronger person. The money is great but the experience is priceless."






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski