The Amazing Race 22 is the twenty-second season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured eleven teams of two competing in a race around the world in order to win US$1,000,000. This season visited five continents and eleven countries and traveled over . Starting in Los Angeles, racers traveled through French Polynesia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Botswana, Switzerland, Germany, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and England before finishing in the National Capital Region. A new twist introduced in this season includes awarding the winners of the first leg two Express Passes, one for them and one to give to another team. The season premiered on CBS on February 17, 2013, and the two-hour season finale aired on May 5, 2013.
Professional hockey players and brothers Bates Battaglia and Anthony Battaglia were the winners of this season, while newlyweds Max Bichler and Katie Kaczor-Bichler finished in second place, and roller derby moms Mona Hinman-Egender and Beth Bandimere finished in third.
Production
Development and filming
This season was broadcast in the mid-season of the 2012–13 TV schedule. In an interview with TV Guide, host Phil Keoghan revealed that the Double Your Money prize introduced in the previous season would not be included in season 22. Instead, the twist this season was that the winners of the first leg were awarded two Express Passes: one for themselves and another that had to be given to another team before the end of Leg 4.
The route spanned through five different continents, with first-time visits to French Polynesia and Northern Ireland.
Dave O'Leary tore his Achilles tendon near the end of the second leg. Though he and his son, Connor, continued to race for another two legs with Dave being forced to use a medical boot, crutches, and a wheelchair while in airports, they chose to withdraw from the competition at the start of the fifth leg after Dave was advised by his physician to have surgery on his ankle within two weeks of the original injury. Though Dave and Connor traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam, with the remaining teams, they did not participate in any tasks in that leg; instead, they went directly to the Pit Stop to be formally eliminated. Dave returned to the United States in time to have the surgery the day before filming of the season was completed and was able to be at the finish line. He and Connor returned to compete in season 24.
The final episode was dedicated to David Gene Gibbs, a member of the camera crew, who died in a helicopter crash while filming a series for Discovery Channel.
Cast
Teams for this season included Stealing Angels vocalists Caroline Cutbirth and Jennifer Kuhle, professional hockey players and brothers Bates Battaglia and Anthony Battaglia (of the Tulsa Oilers), and YouTube vloggers Joey Graceffa and Meghan Camarena.
Chuck & Wynona were originally cast for the previous season, but had to pull out due to the death of Chuck's father.
Future appearances
Dave & Connor, Caroline & Jennifer, Jessica & John, and Joey & Meghan returned in The Amazing Race: All-Stars. Caroline & Jennifer appeared as clue givers during the finale of season 34 in Nashville.
Results
The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order. A placement with a dagger () indicates that the team was eliminated. An placement with a double-dagger () indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg, and had to perform a Speed Bump task in the following leg. An italicized and underlined placement indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop, but there was no rest period at the Pit Stop and all teams were instructed to continue racing. There was no required Speed Bump task in the next leg. A indicates that the team won the Fast Forward. A indicates that the team used an Express Pass on that leg to bypass one of their tasks. A indicates that the team used the U-Turn and a indicates the team on the receiving end of the U-Turn.
Notes
Race summary
Leg 1 (United States → French Polynesia)