The Amazing Race Season 31 Recap: Week 5 Live Blog

A new episode of The Amazing Race airs tonight on CBS. Read a live recap and join the discussion here.

The Amazing Race SPOILERS – See All The Results Here

The episode begins with teams learning their next destination: Switzerland. Tyler & Korey are glad to finally win a leg, but they note how first place in the final leg is the only one that matters. The teams make their way to a travel agency to pick up their tickets to Switzerland. Rachel notes how this leg is her 31st leg, meaning she ties the record of most legs competed on The Amazing Race. She shares the record with Jet & Cord and Flight Time & Big Easy. We also see Rachel & Elissa join Becca & Floyd and Leo & Jamal outside a pizzeria. The talk turns to U-Turning other teams, and Becca & Floyd and Leo & Jamal mention U-Turning Nicole & Victor. In their confessional, Rachel & Elissa say they are not comfortable U-Turning Nicole & Victor due to their Big Brother alliance. They’d rather U-Turn Becca & Floyd again.

The teams land in Switzerland, and Nicole & Victor have already been informed by Rachel & Elissa that Becca & Floyd want to U-Turn them. Once all the teams are on a train, Rachel & Elissa talk to Nicole & Victor again. Rachel & Elissa say that they can U-Turn Becca & Floyd instead. Nicole & Victor say they are not comfortable U-Turning Becca & Floyd, and they also ask what other teams were present when discussing the plan to U-Turn Nicole & Victor. Rachel & Elissa say it was only Becca & Floyd, but Victor is confused since they mentioned several teams being part of the conversation. The conversation soon gets tense and they accuse each other of playing the game. Nicole & Victor go back to the other teams on the train, and they all talk about Rachel & Elissa. People believe they are trying to play both sides.

All teams get off the train and learn they have a Roadblock coming up. One team member must jump into and swing by a rope in a glacier gorge. The first to attempt the Roadblock is Korey, and he is followed by Becca. “I love this life!” Becca yells as she jumps into the gorge. Tyler & Korey can proceed to a helicopter and take a ride to their next destination. Leo is the next to jump. While he’s whooping in glee, Nicole is very nervous about jumping. She wishes Victor was doing the Roadblock instead. Christie is the next team member to do the Roadblock. Colin tells their cameraman he’s so proud of her since she is facing her fears. Nicole, however, is in tears right before she steps off the platform. “I can’t. I need out,” she says. However, she eventually steps off the platform and completes the Roadblock.

Tyler & Korey’s helicopter land and they learn they have a Detour to complete: Water Power or Water Down. Water Power requires teams to ride on a funicular and memorize the names of the water basins. Afterwards, they must label the names on a map. Water Down requires teams to descend 150 feet down a canyon. Tyler & Korey choose the Water Down Detour. Becca & Floyd’s helicopter lands too, and they also choose to do the Water Down Detour.

Back at the Roadblock, Elissa and Chris are the last two team members to complete the task. Meanwhile, Leo & Jamal choose to do Water Power; Colin & Christie choose Water Down. Nicole greets Rachel & Elissa by the helicopters, but Victor ignores them. He admits in a confessional that he’s not as nice as Nicole and has no interest working with Rachel & Elissa.

Nicole & Victor choose to do the Water Power task as Tyler & Korey and Becca & Floyd are already working on the Water Down Detour. Leo & Jamal get started on the Water Power task, taking note of all the signs they see. Colin & Christie are also working on the Water Down Detour as Leo & Jamal finish riding on the funicular. They label their map, and they are correct on their first attempt. They are now in first place and can proceed to the Pit Stop: Michaelskirche. As they leave for the Pit Stop, Rachel & Elissa and Chris & Bret both choose to do the Water Down Detour.

Tyler & Korey complete the Detour and can make their way to the Pit Stop too. They note how their Detour lasted a long time, and they wonder if the Water Power Detour was quicker. However, Leo & Jamal are still waiting for another funicular before they can leave.

Becca & Floyd and Colin & Christie also complete the Detour and can make their way to the Pit Stop. Meanwhile, Nicole is panicking as she sees how high the funicular goes. Back at Water Down, Chris & Bret are close behind Rachel & Elissa. However, Bret is afraid of heights, and he’s having difficulty making his way down the canyon. Back at the Water Power Detour, Nicole & Victor label their map and get it correct on their first attempt. They are currently in fifth place as they depart for the Pit Stop.

Tyler & Korey are the first team to arrive at the Pit Stop. Tyler & Korey are Team #1! They win a spa day. Back at the Detour, Rachel & Elissa and Chris & Bret finish the Water Down task at the same time. They can depart for the Pit Stop. They both don’t know where they are going, but neither of them want to stop and ask for directions since they fear it would put them in last place. However, they both stop and ask someone at the same time. They both make their way to the Pit Stop. Meanwhile, Nicole & Victor are also lost. They ask someone on a motorcycle for directions, and they learn they have to turn around.

Colin & Christie, Becca & Floyd, and Leo & Jamal arrive at the Pit Stop at the same time as Team #2, Team #3, and Team #4 respectively. Next, we see Rachel & Elissa and Chris & Bret arrive at the Pit Stop as Team #5 and Team #6 respectively. Phil congratulates Rachel on tying the record for most legs completed on The Amazing Race.

Nicole & Victor join Rachel & Elissa and Chris & Bret at the Pit Stop. Before Phil gives them the news, there’s another heated exchange between Rachel & Elissa and Nicole & Victor. Rachel & Elissa say they were just trying to warn Nicole & Victor about what another team was planning on doing to them, but Victor says they had every right to try to verify that information. Victor says they shouldn’t have bothered saying anything, and Nicole breaks down in tears and says she had a rough day and doesn’t want to be scolded for something she didn’t even do. Afterwards, Phil tells Nicole & Victor that they are the last team to arrive. However, it’s a non-elimination leg.

Episode Summary

1st place: Tyler & Korey

2nd place: Colin & Christie

3rd place: Becca & Floyd

4th place: Leo & Jamal

5th place: Rachel & Elissa

6th place: Chris & Bret

7th place: Nicole & Victor

Eliminated: No one

And that wraps up tonight’s episode of The Amazing Race. Thanks for reading, post your thoughts in the comment section below, and come back next week for another live recap.

About Steven Curtis 538 Articles
Steven is a graduate of the University of West Florida with a bachelor's degree in communication arts. He enjoys watching reality competition shows, such as American Idol, Survivor, Big Brother, and The Amazing Race.