The Amazing Race 25 -- Back To New York City

Since this was the 25th running of The Amazing Race the race decided to start this race in the same city the first race began in, New York City. There's also a flashback of Phil starting the first race. My god, I can't believe he ever looked that young, but he's still hot. The race begins at Time Square and for the first time an audience is allowed to view the beginning of the race.

This season's 11 racers are as follows:

Adam and Bethany -- they're newlywed surfers and she lost her arm.

Amy and Maya -- they're food scientists.

Dennis and Isabelle -- they're dating.

Brooke and Robbie -- they're also dating, but they're pro wrestlers.

Keith and Whitney -- just when I hoped the incestuous relationship between Survivor and The Amazing Race wouldn't rear it's ugly head on The Race after The Race's Twinnies were put on Survivor, we have a couple of ex-Survivor contestants, who I have no memory of, named Keith and Whitney.

Kym and Alli -- are cyclists.

Lisa and Michelle -- this seasons blonde Barbies. This Barbie version are a pair of realtors.

Michael and Scott -- are fire fighters from Boston.

Tim and Te Jay -- gay college sweethearts. I think one of them said their mother didn't know they were gay. Well, honey, something tells me she's going to know now.

Shelley and Nici -- flight attendants.

And Misty and Jim -- married dentists. Jim's so pumped up during the race I thought he was the dude that was a wrestler.

Phil also reveals there will be a new super power at play this season. Gone is the Fast Forward the first place team on the first leg would be awarded and would have to also bestow on another team. Now you get something called the Save. It will save you from being eliminated if you come in last and you have until the ninth leg to be able to use it. Needless to say all the teams were chomping at the bit to win that super power.

Then Phil started the race and the racers learned their first destination would be St. Thomas, The Virgin Islands. Only five teams could book seats on the fastest flight there. So teams scrambled to be the first five to book their seats. Once the plane landed teams where to got to Vendor's Plaza and book a flight on a sea plane.

And that's where some trouble arose. The Fire Fighters were trying to sign up for a seat on the seaplane and the Barbies stole the pen out of their hands and signed up ahead of them. Afterwards they were all smug and smirking. I'm glad to know that by the end of the race they'd be whining and complaining because the Fire Fighters gave them a taste of their own medicine. "Hey, Barbies, didn't anyone ever tell you not to mess with Boston men. Ever get a look at Boston Rob?"

Once they seaplane lands the first task of the season is called, "Look Before You Leap." You have to climb up a rocky out-crop and then dive into the ocean to find their next clue.

This leads them to a clue called Blackbeard's Revenge. You board Blackbeard's ship and he gives you your clue Don't Rock The Boat and then basically makes you walk the plank. You then get into a row boat with a line attached to it and follow it to shore.

And this leads you to the Roadblock that seemed so simple but most of the racers had a hard time completing the task. You had to use a water compass and figure out where a treasure chest was buried in the sand that would tell you where the pit stop was located. Some teams were still searching for where it was buried well after dark.

The pit stop was Fort Christian and racers checked in as follows:

1. The Dentists aka Misti and Jim and they get the "Save".

2. Tom and Te Jay aka the College Sweethearts.

3. Kym and Alli aka The Cyclists.

4. Brooke and Robbie aka The Wrestlers.

5. Adam and Bethany aka The Surfers.

6. Amy and Maya aka The Scientists.

7. Dennis and Isabelle.

8. Shelley and Nici aka the Stewardesses.

And in the first time in the history of the race we don't really know who is 9 and 10. It was Keith and Whitney and the Fire Fighters who raced to the mat, but since the other Fire Fighter didn't get there before Keith and Whitney it'll be interesting to see who is declared 9 and 10.

But there was no question who was last. It was the Barbies. And one Barbie whines about how the Firefighters got ahead of them. They actually had the nerve to call it playing dirty after the stunt they pulled when signing up for the seaplane.

So how did this all come about. Well, Keith and Whitney just couldn't find the treasure chest so they decided to take a four hour penalty but didn't want to take it alone. They got the Fire Fighters and the Barbies to go along with taking the penalty, as they were equally lost trying to find the treasure chest.

So all three rushed to the cabs and even though one of the Fire Fighters was already in the cab, one of the Barbie's thought they'd get away with stealing the cab from them, only the other Fire Fighter pushed her out of the cab and took off. Then she proceeded to whine that he pushed her to the pavement and she hurt her arm and it was cheating. I bet it's the first time she met a guy that didn't bend over backwards for her and let her have her own way. Maybe she shouldn't have stolen the pen from the Fire Fighters hand to cheat you way to a sooner seaplane flight.

Every year they have one of these Barbie teams and can I say how thrilled I am they were the first to get eliminated? After being subjected to the Country Singing Barbie's last season, a whole season without another Barbie team is like a gift from the gods.