Episode Report Card M. Giant: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Gratuitous Footage
By M. Giant | Season 14 | Episode 10 | Aired on 04.26.2009
Tammy and Victor watch Team Go Team's cab up ahead of them, which stays in its lane while they enter a turn lane to go to the north door, like they're supposed to. "Don't look at them," Tammy says, as though a taxi with a million-watt camera light burning inside it will escape the other team's notice. But it does, and only one of the teams is on the way to the right door. Tammy and Victor get dropped off and run onto the grounds, collecting Mandarin directions from bystanders as they go. "My feet do not feel good," says Tammy, running duck-like. But they find the clue box right inside the door, and are officially in first place.
Naturally it's a Detour, and equally naturally, this being a natatorium, the options are "Sync" or "Swim." Cut to Phil standing on the edge of a pool while divers plunge off the springboards behind him. "Teams must tackle some of the same extreme challenges faced by world-class athletes," he says. For "Sync," Phil says that teams will "try to master the skill of synchronized diving." Except all they have to do is hit the water at the same time, jumping off twin three-meter springboards, which is a pretty loose definition of "master." No flippy-flippy of any kind will be required. When they get a five from each of the two judges, they'll get their next clue. For "Swim," Phil says that "teams must change into the revolutionary Speedo LZR suit, the same type of suit worn by Michael Phelps when he won eight gold medals as the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games." That's some sweet product placement Speedo's getting tonight, yes? Well, hold that thought. Once duly attired, they'll have to swim a 400-meter relay, "Competing against Michael Phelps's world record time in the 400-meter individual medley." Which is shown on the screen as 4:03:84. Phil is careful to say that they don't need to beat that time, but they do have to finish to get their next clue. Phelps's time just goes up there to further embarrass the Racers, apparently.
Tammy and Victor are doing the synchronized jump, since Tammy can't swim, and Victor adds that neither of them are terribly aquatic. Tammy confesses that she took a lesson before coming on the Race, and she was the only adult who had to learn to put her face in the water. "Swimming is not my strong suit." But at least they look good in the diving suits. "This is like, skimpyland," Victor grins about his Speedo briefs. He doesn't look like he entirely regrets his decision not to pick the Detour option that allows him to wear a suit that goes to his ankles.