- The Amazing Race Season 39 Vancouver hosted the season's opening leg in stunning sunshine.
- Every team received an Express Pass, the biggest format twist in show history.
- Vancouver was chosen partly because Canadian fans campaigned for a leg.
- Leg 1 eliminations hit hard: Zach and Nate finished last.
- Weather mattered: the city showed off rare blue skies for filming.
The Amazing Race Season 39 Vancouver Leg: Overview
The Amazing Race Season 39 Vancouver leg marks a milestone for the franchise: after years of Canadian viewers asking host Phil Keoghan to bring the race north of the border, Season 39 finally delivered. Buoyed by the success of the Canadian version of the show, producers picked Vancouver as a launch city — and the timing proved lucky. Known for frequent rain that keeps everything lush and green, Vancouver turned on a spectacular, sunny filming day that Phil himself described as the city "showing off."
The leg saw the 13 competing teams race across the city completing challenges, with the added pressure of a first-episode elimination looming just hours after the starting line.
Video Highlights:
- Phil Keoghan explains why Vancouver earned a Season 39 leg
- The record-breaking 13 Express Pass twist is broken down
- Zach and Nate reflect on their first-leg elimination
- Cast insight into the season's "hyper competitive" tone
Canadian fans had campaigned for years for Phil to bring the race to Canada. The Vancouver leg is the direct result of that feedback — proof that audience demand shapes the show's route planning.
The 13 Express Pass Twist
For the first time in Amazing Race history, every single team received an Express Pass at the start of the race. That put 13 passes in play simultaneously, dramatically reshaping early-leg strategy.
Spend Early
- Avoid first-leg elimination
- Bank a position advantage
- Best for weaker teams
Hold as Insurance
- Save it for a brutal task
- Acts like an insurance card
- Risky if you fall behind early
Mind Games
- Strong teams second-guess rivals
- Changes task queues
- Keeps the order unpredictable
Phil noted that teams who excel on the first leg usually stay strong all season — but the universal Express Pass disrupted that pattern, giving slower starters a route back into contention and forcing frontrunners to guess what the mid-pack might do.
| Express Pass Strategy | Best For | Key Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Use on Leg 1 | Teams nervous about elimination | Wasting it on an easy task |
| Hold until mid-season | Confident, athletic teams | Getting eliminated while holding it |
| Use at a Detour | Teams weak in one skill area | Opponents passing you elsewhere |
Even with an Express Pass, there is no slowing down once the race starts. Teams described the pace as frantic from the very first envelope.
Why Vancouver Worked as a Host City
Vancouver brought a combination of scenery, fan demand, and production familiarity that made it a natural Season 39 stop.
| Factor | Impact on the Leg |
|---|---|
| Canadian fan campaigns | Directly motivated the route choice |
| Success of Amazing Race Canada | Proved local audience appetite |
| Green, rainy climate | Made the sunny filming day feel special |
| Compact urban layout | Teams raced across the city quickly |
| Spectacular backdrop | Phil called it a beautiful, beautiful country |
The crew made a point to stop and take in the view. Phil emphasized how rare those perfect-weather Vancouver days are — the sunshine elevated the entire opening leg.
First Leg Elimination: How It Unfolded
The first leg ended in heartbreak for Zach and Nate, who raced across the city and attempted challenges "you probably could never have imagined" — yet still arrived last at the mat.
Start Line Anticipation
Thirteen teams, many of whom had applied seven or eight times before, finally heard the race begin after years of casting calls.
City-Wide Racing
Teams tore through Vancouver tasks, with several deploying Express Passes to skip challenges and shake up the order.
The Mat
Phil delivered the news hours after the start: Zach and Nate were the last team to arrive and were eliminated.
Reflection
Despite the loss, the team said they finished strong and felt blessed to share the experience together.
Phil has openly said he hates eliminating the first team — after all the anticipation of getting cast, going home on day one is the toughest exit in the race.
Phil reminds every team that just making the cast means beating out thousands of applicants: "You've already won. Just being here makes you a winner."
Season 39 Viewing Checklist
Track the season's biggest storylines with this quick checklist.
Season 39 Key Moments to Watch:
- Watch how early each team burns its Express Pass
- Track whether Leg 1 leaders stay dominant all season
- Spot Vancouver landmarks in the opening leg
- Follow the race for the first mother-daughter winner
- Note how the twist changes elimination order each week
FAQ
Q: Did The Amazing Race Season 39 really film in Vancouver?
Yes. The Season 39 opening leg took the 13 teams to Vancouver, fulfilling years of requests from Canadian fans for Phil Keoghan to bring the U.S. version of the race to Canada.
Q: Why did every team get an Express Pass in Season 39?
It was a new format element introducing 13 Express Passes into play at once. Producers wanted to give weaker early teams a comeback mechanism and keep frontrunners guessing about the competition's moves.
Q: Which team was eliminated first in Season 39?
Zach and Nate were the last team to arrive on the opening leg in Vancouver and became the first team eliminated, just hours after the race began.
Q: What was the weather like during the Vancouver leg?
Vancouver is famously rainy, but filming happened on a spectacular sunny day. Phil Keoghan described the city as 'showing off' with blue skies and lush green scenery.