'The Amazing Race' Racers Mona Egender and Beth Bandimere survive non-elimination leg

The Amazing Race teammates Mona Egender and Beth Bandimere survived to compete in the 22nd season's ninth leg despite a last-place finish during Sunday night's broadcast of the CBS reality competition's eighth leg.


The "Roller Derby Moms" arrived at the Race's eighth Pit Stop at Kurfurstendamm, which is known as the Fifth Avenue of Berlin, Germany, in last place but were told by The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan it was a non-elimination leg.

"We feel so relieved and grateful that it was a non-elimination. I'm confident that we can come back and win. But Bates and Anthony are definitely still a problem staying in the Race. We've got to use any way to get ahead of them," Mona said.

The ninth episode of The Amazing Race's 22nd edition began with "Hockey Brothers" Bates Battaglia and Anthony Battaglia departing the seventh Pit Stop at the Bodmi Snowboard and Ski School in Zurich, Switzerland, in first place at 2:50AM.

Following Bates and Anthony were Mona and Beth at 2:57AM, "Newlyweds" Max Bichler and Katie Bichler at 3:01AM, and "Friends and Country Singers" Caroline Cutbirth and Jennifer Kuhle at 3:28AM. The departure time for "Friends and YouTube Hosts" Joey Graceffa and Meghan Camarena was not shown.


The teams' first set of clues instructed them to make their way to Dresden, Germany. Upon arrival, they must then make their way to the Ministry of Finance and choose one of four vehicles where they'd find their next clue.

All the teams started the leg off on a level playing field, as they all booked tickets for the same 5:26AM train -- the first available train that morning.

While on the train, Bates noticed his bag had gone missing and everyone assumed it had been stolen while he wasn't looking. Anthony was sleeping at the time, so he was unaware of what was going on around him. Despite the bad luck, Bates was carrying his passport in his pocket, so he was ultimately happy because that's what he needed to continue the Race.

Max and Katie were the first team to make it to their vehicle. They were soon followed by Joey and Meghan, Caroline and Jennifer, Bates and Anthony, and Mona and Beth. The teams then learned they must use the audible-text touch screen feature inside their car to attempt to answer three Race-inspired questions. Once a team could answer all three questions correctly, the pair would receive their next clue.

Max and Katie got all the questions right before any of the other teams. Caroline and Jennifer nailed the series of questions next, and they were then followed by Joey and Meghan, Bates and Anthony, and Mona and Beth.


The next clue instructed the teams to drive themselves over 100 miles to the city of Berlin and search for the Brandenburg Gate to find their next clue.

Bates and Anthony and Caroline and Jennifer ended up getting lost on their way to the gate. After getting directions from locals, the girls decided to follow the guys, however, Bates and Anthony accidentally lost them and pulled ahead in the Race.

Max and Katie, maintaining their lead, arrived at the gate in first place. Following Max and Katie were Joey and Meghan, Mona and Beth, Bates and Anthony, and Caroline and Jennifer.

The clue at Brandenburg Gate instructed the pairs to make their way to the rooftop of the Park Inn Hotel. The teams arrived at the hotel in the same order they had left the gate.

Once on the rooftop, both members of each team had to base fly, plunging 37 stories back to the ground. Max and Katie finished the task first. They were then followed by Joey and Meghan, Mona and Beth, Bates and Anthony, and Caroline and Jennifer.


At the bottom of the hotel lied their next clue. It then became time for the teams to complete one of two Detour tasks: "Train Trials" or "Font Follies."

"Train Trials" required the teams to travel to a museum full of locomotives and railroad cars. Using all the provided pieces, the teams had to lay train tracks within the borders of a platform. If they could keep their train on track for one complete circuit, they'd receive their next clue.

"Font Follies" required the teams to make their way to a market stand and choose giant letters to carry through the city streets, ensuring the letters didn't break or chip. If they could deliver the giant letters intact, they'd receive their next clue.

Max and Katie, Mona and Beth, Bates and Anthony, and Caroline and Jennifer attempted the "Font Follies" task, while Joey and Meghan chose to take on "Train Trials."

One of Bates and Anthony's letters was taken by the wind and cracked. Knowing they either had to go back for a new letter or switch tasks, the pair was pretty deflated due to the circumstances.


"Busted letter, busted spirit. We could be in some serious trouble," Bates said.

Bates and Anthony then decided to switch tasks instead of starting over again.

Max and Katie completed the Detour in first place. They were then followed by Mona and Beth, Joey and Meghan -- after seven attempts -- Caroline and Jennifer, and finally Bates and Anthony -- who finished the train tracks task after nine attempts.

The teams' next set of clues instructed them to drive themselves to the Salon Zur Wilden Renate and search for the entrance to the Peristal Singum to find their next clue.

Mona and Beth got lost on their way to the salon. Max and Katie found it first and were soon followed by Joey and Meghan, Caroline and Jennifer, Mona and Beth, and Bates and Anthony.


It then became time for one member of each team to complete a Roadblock task.

For the Roadblock, the team members had to identify that John F. Kennedy said the famous quote "Ich bin ein Berliner" and then immerse themselves in a theatrical maze underground, going through a twisted labyrinth, to find a white room featuring their next clue attached to the wall.

Katie, Joey, Jennifer, Beth, and Anthony all opted to do the Roadblock task for their teams.

Max and Katie completed the Roadblock task before any of the other teams. They were then followed by Joey and Meghan, Caroline and Jennifer, Bates and Anthony, and Mona and Beth.

The teams were then instructed to make their way to Kurfurstendamm, also known as the Fifth Avenue of Berlin, which served as the Race's eighth Pit Stop.

Max and Katie met Phil on the Pit Stop mat in first place and each won a brand new car.


Joey and Meghan subsequently secured second place, and then Caroline and Jennifer claimed third.

It was a foot race to the end for Mona and Beth and Bates and Anthony. Mona and Beth unintentionally led the guys to the Pit Stop, but Bates and Anthony ran to the mat faster. As a result, Bates and Anthony finished in fourth place and Mona and Beth came in fifth -- and last -- place.

"Mona and Beth, I am sorry to tell you that you are the last team to arrive," Phil told the team.

"We figured," Beth said.

"You guys should be so proud. I mean, you guys ran this Race so hard," Phil noted.

"I think we did pretty good for a couple moms," Beth added.


"Well Bates and Anthony, I do have some bad news for you guys. You're going to have to keep racing against these two because this is a non-elimination leg! So since you are the last team to arrive [Mona and Beth], some time during the next leg of the Race, you will encounter a Speed Bump and you're going to need to complete that before you carry on with the Race," Phil explained.

Bates and Anthony then suggested they were "nervous" about competing against Mona and Beth going forward.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski