'The Amazing Race' premieres with "Siblings" Alexandra Lichtor and Sheridan Lichtor ousted in first leg

The Amazing Race eliminated "Siblings" Alexandra Lichtor and Sheridan Lichtor in Thailand during the show's Season 25 premiere that aired Wednesday night on CBS.


Alexandra, 34, and Sheridan, 29, who are both consultants from Chicago, IL, were eliminated from The Amazing Race when they arrived at the first Pit Stop in Bangkok, Thailand in thirteenth -- and last -- place.

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"I'm very disappointed, but I'm also really happy to have this incredible opportunity to go on a race that we've watched since we were little and to have done it with my sister. It's a really special opportunity," Sheridan said following his team's ouster.

And Alexandra added, "I think that I feel exactly the same."


The Amazing Race broadcast began with all of the teams gathering at the iconic Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, CA, to celebrate the landmark's 100th anniversary. The teams were ready to compete, fight and work hard.

"Father and Son" Rob McArthur and Corey McArthur revealed how Rob is deaf but always managed to be his son's teacher and role model, and "Married Grocery Store Managers" Jocelyn Chao and Victor Limary said they work 12 hours a day and couldn't wait to enjoy some time off and race around the world.

The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan then announced how there would be no non-elimination legs and that they'd come across the Express Pass, which wasn't going to be easy to win. But if a team won the pass, the pair could skip any challenge they didn't want to complete.

Phil also said the teams would encounter a U-Turn, but this season, there would be "a mandatory vote" for everyone to slow down another team, forcing them to perform both sides of a Detour.

"Everybody will be making a vote!" Phil said, adding that airports were also back in play.


Phil then told the teams to race down the hill and get inside of a car, where the Racers would find their first clue.

The teams had to figure out how to get to the Biltmore Hotel.

"Brothers" Greg Franklin and John Franklin arrived at the hotel first, and "Best Friends" Joel Strasser and Garrett Smith ripped open their next clue only seconds later. "Best Friends" Malaina Hatcher and Andrea Simpson arrived in third place.

The clue was a Roadblock that instructed one Racer from each team to balance high above the city on a thin tightrope. Once the participating Racers made a successful crossing, they had to unscramble letters into three words: the name of their next destination.

Once a team guessed their next destination, they'd receive a clue from last season's The Amazing Race winners, Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss.


There were two flights available, and tickets were first come, first serve. The first six teams to arrive at the airport would get a 90-minute head start.

"Mother and Daughter" Elizabeth Rivera and Iliana Rivera got lost on the way to the hotel, and so they fell far behind the other teams.

Joel and Garrett made it to the hotel in eleventh place, Alexandra and Sheridan opened their clue at the hotel in twelfth place, and Elizabeth and Iliana were trailing behind in thirteenth -- and last -- place.

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The other teams racing in the mix were "Stay-at-home Moms" Robbin Tomich and Chelsea Day, "Married Couple" Ashlie Martin and Todd Martin, "Sisters" Morgan Franklin and Lena Franklin, "Father and Daughter" Steve Cargile and Anna Leigh Wilson, "Engaged Couple" Joe Moskowitz and Ian Todd, and "Military Veterans and Brothers" Liam Hykel and Yeremi Hykel.


The following Racers opted to do the Roadblock: Greg, Joe, Andrea, Todd, Rob, Chelsea, Anna Leigh, Morgan, Liam, Victor, Joel, Sheridan, and Iliana.

Greg and Joe both struggled to unscramble the letters, but Greg figured out "City of Angels" first.

The teams' next set of clues required them to head to Los Angeles International Airport and fly to the City of Angels.

Five teams agreed to help each other with the puzzle, but when Rob figured it out first in the group, he walked away and didn't share the answer with any of them.

Eleven teams were then trying to unscramble the puzzle at once. Everyone was very frustrated they couldn't get it.


Finally, Victor was able to solve the puzzle, and so he and Jocelyn left the Biltmore Hotel in third place. Joe and Ian got it in fourth place, and then Todd and Ashlie advanced in fifth place.

The teams who were trailing behind, thanks to the puzzle, were Elizabeth and Iliana in eleventh place, Liam and Yeremi in twelfth place, and finally Joel and Garrett in last place.

The first six teams on Flight No. 1 -- which departed at 12:05AM -- were Greg and John, Rob and Corey, Jocelyn and Victor, Todd and Ashlie, Andrea and Malaina, and Morgan and Lena.

Joe and Ian got lost on the way to the airport, and so they had no idea how they'd survive in Bangkok. The engaged couple, and the rest of the teams, got stuck traveling on the second flight.

The second flight departed at 1:30AM, giving the six teams in the front of the pack a big time advantage.

Once the first flight arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, had to pick up their next set of clues at Wat Paknam, right in front of a giant gold statue of Buddah.


Morgan and Lena ripped open their clue in first place, and they were instructed to travel by long-tail boat and then by tuk-tuk to Wat Suthat, a temple. Once there, they had to search the temple grounds to find their next clue.

The women also received a chance to win the Express Pass. In order to receive the pass, which could essentially save a team from elimination during a difficult leg, Morgan and Lena would have to EACH eat an entire plate of exotic fried insects -- including worms and spiders.

Morgan and Lena attempted the task, and they certainly gagged their way through it!

Andrea and Malaina got to the giant Buddha statue next, once they saw the plate of bugs, they passed on competing for the Express Pass.

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Rob and Corey then opened their clue in third place and looked for the food vendor, and they were followed by Jocelyn and Victor. Both teams wanted to try to win the Express Pass.


However, Morgan and Lena managed to eat all of their bugs before any of the teams could even begin the task, and so they won the Express Pass!

A handful of the teams bumped into Morgan and Lena, and so they realized the Express Pass was no longer an option. The teams therefore rushed to the long-tail boats.

Meanwhile, the second plane landed in Thailand, and those teams realized they had a lot of catching up to do.

Jocelyn and Victor made it to the Wat Suthat temple in first place, and then it became time for a Detour task.

Teams could choose between two tasks: "Sword Play" or "Spa Day."

In "Sword Play," teams must practice with sticks and then learn a 30-second routine using swords. They essentially had to perform gracefully and safely.


In "Spa Day," teams would receive a 30-minute Thai massage from a professional masseuse. But there was a catch -- it looked painful with a lot of awkward stretching, bending and cracking!

Rob and Corey opened their Detour clue in second place, and they were followed by Morgan and Lena, Todd and Ashlie, and then Greg and John.

The following teams opted to "enjoy" a spa day: Jocelyn and Victor, Rob and Corey, Morgan and Lena, Todd and Ashlie, and Greg and John.

Andrea and Malaina chose to play with swords since they predicted a deep-tissue massage would probably hurt and be uncomfortable.

Out of the six teams who arrived on the second flight, Robbin and Chelsea were ahead of the pack, getting into a long-tail boat in seventh place out of all the teams. Behind them were Joey and Garrett in eighth place and then Joe and Ian in ninth place.

The teams fighting to avoid last place were Alexandra and Sheridan in eleventh place, Elizabeth and Iliana in twelfth place, and Liam and Yeremi in thirteenth -- and last -- place.


Jocelyn and Victor finished the Detour task in first place, with Jocelyn joking about how the masseuse seemed like her greatest enemy. Rob and Corey took off in second place, and Morgan and Lena about 15 minutes behind them.

The teams' next set of clues instructed them to race to the Pit Stop, a beautiful white temple called Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Worawihan, where the teams would be able to pray and relax upon checking in.

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During Todd and Ashlie's massage, Todd asked the masseuse to stop, which apparently broke the rules. Todd said he didn't know that by saying "stop," the clock would reset and he and his teammate would have to endure another 30 minutes of massaging.

"I'm just disappointed in myself. I was trying to be all theatrical. Next time, I'm just going to shut up," Todd told Ashlie.

Meanwhile, the six teams in the back of the pack were beginning to reach the Detour. Joel and Garrett opted to get massaged, but Joe and Ian decided to do "Sword Play," thinking they'd bang it out quickly and easily.


Steve and Anna Leigh chose "Spa Day" as well as Robbin and Chelsea. But Alexandra, who wasn't sure she'd be able to tolerate a deep tissue massage, and Sheridan picked "Sword Play."

Jocelyn and Victor were then shown arriving at the Pit Stop and meet Phil on the mat in first place.

As winners of the first leg of the Race, Jocelyn and Victor won a trip for two to Patagonia, Chile.

Rob and Corey made it to the Pit Stop in second place, and Rob gushed about how they were having so much fun already.

While teams were starting to check into the Pit Stop, Andrea and Malaina struggled with their sword task. They had trouble with the wrist action and couldn't get in sync with each other. The women therefore chose to switch tasks and get massaged.

Anna Leigh immediately noticed how Andrea and Malaina had been on the first flight and so something must have gone wrong for them.


Elizabeth and Iliana were fighting to avoid elimination at this point against Liam and Yeremi. Both teams picked the "Spa Day" Detour.

Once Elizabeth and Iliana got to the spa, they learned they must wait for another team to finish since all of the masseuses were busy.

The women wondered for a moment if they should switch Detour tasks as a result, but they were already in the right place and acknowledged how learning a sword routine would soak up a lot of time. Elizabeth and Iliana decided to stay as a result.

Greg and John arrived at the Pit Stop in third place, and they were followed by Morgan and Lena in fourth place, Todd and Ashlie in fifth place, Steve and Anna Leigh in sixth place, Joel and Garrett in seventh place.

Over at the sword Detour, Joe and Ian wrapped up their routine, and only two teams were racing behind them. Elizabeth and Iliana were just finishing up their massage, while Alexandra and Sheridan were on their ninth -- and final -- attempt to nail the sword routine.

Liam and Yeremi then made it to the Pit Stop in eighth place, and they celebrated their finish.


Right on the men's heels were several teams, who all rushed to the Pit Stop mat simultaneously.

Joe and Ian finished the leg in ninth place, Andrea and Malaina arrived in tenth place, and Robbin and Chelsea placed eleventh for the leg.

That left two teams duking it out for a spot in the second leg of The Amazing Race's 35th season.

Elizabeth and Iliana discovered they were Team No. 12 and still in the Race, which totally shocked and delighted them. The women said it was the "most humbling day" of their lives.

And finally, Alexandra and Sheridan finished the leg in thirteenth -- and last -- place. Since there are no non-elimination legs this season, Phil cut them from the Season 35 competition.

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"We thought so. We kind of knew it," Alexandra admitted.

Sheridan shared, "We gave it a go, and I have no regrets about coming here, giving it a try, meeting you, [Phil], and being a part of this."







About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski