S25: Kym & Alli

[Donny Ketchum]

Hi.  We're cyclists and very good friends.

 

Women's team.  Look strong and intelligent.  I can see a decent stay in the race on their part.

[Donny Ketchum]

I definitely like these girls (though then again, I've liked all but two women's teams -- Kim & Leslie and Danielle & Dani).  They hustled, they were funny, they were definitely enjoying the experience, were the one team on the first flight not to be worried about the Save, and just gave it their all.

 

Alli rocked the Roadblock, too, so kudos to her!  They seemed really happy with third place.

[viajero]

They may just be my favorite team in this first episode.  I really liked their attitude and they seemed fairly confident.

[TudorQueen]

I think they could be awesome. They're fit, they're smart, they're focused without being obsessive and they sincerely like each other.

 

And if there's a biking challenge or part of a challenge, they're better prepared than an awful lot of people who've been on TAR.

[aradia22]

We didn't see enough of them for me to really get an idea of whether or not I'd like them. As far as female teams go they give me that roller derby moms kind of vibe. That's not a good thing for me.

[Donny Ketchum]

How is it not?  Mona & Beth were one of the more competent women's teams in recent seasons.

[Donny Ketchum]

So far, of the three women's teams remaining, these two seem like the best one.  They capably rocked out About-Face and redid the punting with no real complaints or drama.  And they just plain hustled, on top of it all!  Great job, ladies!

[aradia22]

I thought it was cute that either Kym or Alli kissed the judge at the changing of the guards on the cheek even after he told her not to whoop in his face.

[aradia22]

Sorry, Donny. I don't check in on every comment if I don't get a notification. I didn't hate Mona and Beth. They just didn't make a big impression on me. I found them boring. All I remembered about them was "roller derby moms." I vaguely remember an all female team in an earlier season that might have been in a bowling league. I like teams with personality. I know they're not for everyone, but I liked the twinnies.

[Donny Ketchum]

The girls were so close to a higher finish this week!  I enjoyed their dancing in front of the pub!  Cute, and kinda hot (and I'm not even a straight guy)!

 

They dominated that Detour, but lowered their place due to going to the wrong dock.  Nice recovery to beat both teams who passed them at that Detour to the sheep task, and good keeping their cool with the sheep themselves.

 

Having seen more of them, I'm loving them a lot more and wanna see more of them next week.  Seems like we do, by the looks of the preview!

[viajero]

I'm liking them too.  They are good at the tasks, but know how to enjoy themselves while they are at it.

[aradia22]

I don't think it's a bad idea to use your downtime to relax and recuperate but it was nice to see someone choose to have some fun instead of just going to sleep. They seemed to do really well at the detour. We still haven't seen enough for me to really decide how I feel one way or the other but I'm starting to like them more. 

[Donny Ketchum]

Except for forgetting their receipt near their bike and Kym's memory problems, I think these girls just killed this leg!  A fantastically-run leg with all the right beats hit!  From just going straight to the airport for an earlier flight to acing the fuel challenge to breezing through the Detour to carefully handling the Roadblock, they were firing on all cylinders!

 

I believe they're now only the fifteenth women's team, in twenty-five seasons, to win a leg, adding to Pat & Brenda, Mary & Peach, Tian & Jaree, Debbie & Bianca, the Godlewski Family, Dustin & Kandice, Charla & Mirna, Christie & Jodi, Kisha & Jen, Jaime & Cara, Brook & Claire, Nat & Kat, Natalie & Nadiya, and Pam & Winnie!  (This only counts our version, as I know other women's teams have won legs in foreign versions, too.)

 

They really might be contenders in this race!  Great job, girls!

Edited October 24, 2014 by Donny Ketchum

[TudorQueen]

WTG Bicycling Gals! You ran the leg so well, had a great time, never gave in to stress, and I cannot think of another team that would have been as legitimately thrilled to win the Product Placement Electric Cars - not just "Great, we won cars!" but "Great! We  won ecologically friendly cars, when we've already established that we're sincerely committed to sustainability."

 

When two of the remaining all-female teams are this appealing and doing this well, it makes me very happy.

[aradia22]

I'm starting to like them. They're starting to show more personality. Though one still talks a lot more than the other one.

[Donny Ketchum]

I'm starting to like them. They're starting to show more personality. Though one still talks a lot more than the other one.

Yeah, in their pre-race video, they did admit that Kym tends to talk more than Alli.  Kym is loud and out there while Alli's quieter and more reserved.

[Jersey Guy 87]

I didn't understand their logic in the roadblock.  "I've was a waitress but I got fired so I'll do the waitress task" doesn't seem like the best strategy.  Although maybe the other one couldn't even get hired as a waitress...

[Donny Ketchum]

I didn't understand their logic in the roadblock.  "I've was a waitress but I got fired so I'll do the waitress task" doesn't seem like the best strategy.  Although maybe the other one couldn't even get hired as a waitress...

I think that was just a joke.  She did say it in kind of a joking manner. . . .

[elychari]

Is it just me or does Alli look like a younger more attractive Bethany Frankel?

[Donny Ketchum]

Is it just me or does Alli look like a younger more attractive Bethenny Frankel?

Actually, she kinda does.  Meanwhile, Kym kinda looks like Amy from TAR23.

Edited October 24, 2014 by Donny Ketchum

[Chyna]

Carting the cake in two pieces was a stroke of brilliance.

[Donny Ketchum]

Carting the cake in two pieces was a stroke of brilliance.

It really was, though I'm surprised it was allowed, since they had to get it there in one piece.

[Bella]

They had to deliver it in one piece, but aside from the mode of transportation, we saw nothing about cake requirements between the time the racers left the baker and arrived at the restaurant. I thought the bikers were quite clever in thinking that one through.

[Chyna]

There was a little sound effect added when they took the piping bag, so I was afraid they'd get penalized. But I'm assuming that production had to be prepared for the possibility that everyone would do the cake task and have at least one bag per team available.

[Donny Ketchum]

Another fine leg, ladies!  They rocked out building the cart when they needed to, and Kym rocked out that Roadblock!  It was smart of Alli to see that Kym couldn't hack that tassel-twirling Detour, though, and offer to switch it up.  Thanks to solid directions, they nabbed another win!

 

Well deserved, girls!  Well deserved!

Edited October 25, 2014 by Donny Ketchum

[Camera One]

Still not my favorites, but I liked them more for not using the U-Turn.  Also, it was smart to switch hat duty early on.  They do have the smarts and the physical strength, so they are a huge contender for winning this race.

[TudorQueen]

They're still adorable. And now they're serious contenders.

[Donny Ketchum]

Pop quiz: What do Kym & Alli have in common with the Godlewski Family (TAR8), Dustin & Kandice (TAR10 and TAR11), Charla & Mirna (TAR11), and Nat & Kat (TAR17)?

 

Answer: They all had back-to-back wins at one point in their respective seasons.  The Godlewskis won legs seven and eight of TAR8 (in addition to leg one).  Dustin & Kandice also won legs seven and eight in TAR10, and they won legs eleven and twelve in TAR11 (in addition to legs seven and nine).  Charla & Mirna won legs five and six in TAR11.  Nat & Kat won legs four and five in TAR17 (in addition to legs seven, ten, and twelve).  And now, Kym & Alli have won legs four and five of TAR25.

 

Coed teams and especially men's teams can win back-to-back legs easily.  It's hard enough for women's teams to even win one leg.  So the fact that these two have been able to join the club of the very few who've been able to win two in a row is just amazing.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Donny Ketchum

[Lingo]

I guess that history suggests that they'll reach at least 4th place!

And the fact that they managed to do it even after bunching (unlike e.g. Nat and Kat, if I recall correctly) is even more impressive.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Lingo

[Kromm]

I'm starting to like them. They're starting to show more personality. Though one still talks a lot more than the other one.

They've shown plenty of personality--arguably too much (since I know it put some people off).

Personally I find them hilarious. In a good way, not a bad one.

[ByaNose]

I actually thought the would annoy me more. They tend to stay away from the drama & run their own race. Pay doing so they've been rewarded great prizes. Hopefully, they keep up the pace. I suppose some of the other teams could get a clue and u-turn them next. They have proven to be serious threat. I see them in the Final 3 with the (scary) Dentist & the Surfers.

[aradia22]

Yay! I'm glad that they're doing so well. They've been running a good race. They run smart. They don't fight a lot. Though Kym needs to stop begging for food. It's good to see an all female team dominate. 

[Kromm]

Yay! I'm glad that they're doing so well. They've been running a good race. They run smart. They don't fight a lot. Though Kym needs to stop begging for food.

While it might have been annoying in person, on TV I found her doing so kind of amusing.

[aradia22]

 

While it might have been annoying in person, on TV I found her doing so kind of amusing.

It was cute the first time. Now there are diminishing returns.

[Way Wes Jr]

It was cute the first time. Now there are diminishing returns.

 

For us, as viewers, perhaps.  But, I wonder if this isn't a valid race strategy in its way.  Obviously lack of food isn't an issue on this show; they are given money to manage, and the pit stops may or may not include a dinner after checking in, and/or a breakfast before leaving.  (Back in the Eat/ Sleep/ Mingle days this wasn't a "may or may not" issue. :) )  That being said, folk from the USA tend to believe in the concept of three squares, and psychologically, being able to grab a bite without pausing in the "race," would give me a boost - and perhaps to Kym and Alli as well.

[Donny Ketchum]

Well, they didn't do it this week, at least.

 

They started out well, but they had me worried when Alli psyched herself out enough to want to switch Detours.  They won me back over when Kym found a way to entertain herself, Alli, and even Adam & Bethany after they switched back, though.  Alli was decent to accept Te Jay's offer to help at the Roadblock, and they even managed to vault right past them in the process.

 

Didn't keep first place, but they remained in the top three, which is also good.

[Kromm]

They crack me up more and more each week.  Their butter song?  Will go up there with the classic moments of this show.

I think I now want them to win as much as with any team in years. Damn.  I know there's a jinx factor with that.  Sorry!

[aradia22]

 

Well, they didn't do it this week, at least.

I don't know how they withstood the temptation of that tasty-looking, warm goat butter. I think they're a fun team. We saw them get a little frustrated with each other this week but they didn't let it sink them. It isn't often you see a team change tasks twice and still end up near the top/middle of the pack. It does seem a little shady for them to have set up a challenge that was difficult for shorter contestants. The racers seemed to really be struggling. I think they made the right decision to switch given how fast the dentists and the college sweethearts got through the task but they just weren't equipped to do the task. That is, on paper they made the smart decision not knowing that the other task would be harder for them to complete. Oh, and I enjoyed her little song. They're right on the border of obnoxious but they don't cross over. It never feels that disrespectful. They seem like they're having fun instead of making fun of other people.

 

Kudos to Alli for sticking to the decision to help Te Jay when she didn't need to. I mean, arguably they weren't going to win anyway and were nowhere near last place and the other teams don't seem to feel the need to set records like the dentists so I don't think placement matters that much to them... but I'd like to think she's just a good person.

[Lingo]

Well, I think it was just good strategy.  When you're not racing for first or for last, and when the other team isn't someone that you'd like to see eliminated for being a big threat, then it's the perfect time to team up and save some time.

 

As a counterpoint, I was a little worried that Maya was going to help Brooke, when she should be considering the fact that it might be better strategy to get a physically strong team like the wrestlers eliminated when you get the chance.  But Brooke ended up figuring it out on her own.

 

It's also a good strategy to follow through with a promise of helping someone when you don't need to.  You don't want to get a reputation for "playing dirty."

Edited November 1, 2014 by Lingo

[TudorQueen]

Not their best week in terms of the challenges (though far from a failing grade) but top marks for sportsmanship, charm and entertainment value.

 

I, too, treasure the Butter Song (Cyclist Remix).

[innominate]

By far my favourite team this season. I've had hits and misses with teams I root for so my rather brilliant prediction is they can win or they can lose. I find Kym's outgoing-ness as an attractive attribute and I thought a lot of people would gravitate towards her personality so I'm actually quite surprised that a lot more on this forum prefer the scientists and surfers' more chilled out attitude. The scientists have their little funny moments but I find the surfers pretty bland at least from the edit

Edited November 8, 2014 by innominate

[Donny Ketchum]

Once again, these girls churn out an excellent leg, this time running right behind Misti & Jim the whole way.  They made me laugh wildly with Kym's imitation of Jim and calling them "Team No Fun" (because really, they're not).  Kym rocked out the Roadblock, and she and Alli might've won the leg had they gotten through that Detour in just one try.

 

Well done, girls!

[Kromm]

By far my favourite team this season. I've had hits and misses with teams I root for so my rather brilliant prediction is they can win or they can lose. I find Kym's outgoing-ness as an attractive attribute and I thought a lot of people would gravitate towards her personality so I'm actually quiet surprised that a lot more on this forum prefer the scientists and surfers' more chilled out attitude. The scientists have their little funny moments but I find the surfers pretty bland at least from the edit

Has it really been "a lot more" for the food scientists?  The surfers maybe, if people buy into the whole "inspirational" angle, but the food scientists are not that interesting.  I mean they seem nice, and I wouldn't mind them doing well, but they aren't laugh out loud funny like Kym and Alli or have this amazing backstory like Bethany.

[Lingo]

Well, I think the scientists are adorable, and pretty funny in themselves.  They're my favorite team, but maybe that's because I'm a scientist (and ex-chemist) too!  But the cyclists are my 2nd favorites.

[innominate]

Has it really been "a lot more" for the food scientists?  The surfers maybe, if people buy into the whole "inspirational" angle, but the food scientists are not that interesting.  I mean they seem nice, and I wouldn't mind them doing well, but they aren't laugh out loud funny like Kym and Alli or have this amazing backstory like Bethany.

It seemed so to me, at least so at the beginning. I think I didn't jump on the scientists' bandwagon because I saw a bonus clip of them from the first leg and they were talking over each other to Phil on the mat and that annoyed me because it felt a little forced. Like they obviously knew they were being filmed so they were being unnecessarily descriptive of that first leg. Kym and Alli may have done the same thing knowing how excited Kym can be sometimes but it bother me a lot less coz that's just who she is.

 

And I guess I meant the scientists and the surfers collectively over the cyclists when I said 'a lot more'. Different folks different strokes though I have a harder time getting people who root for the dentists. Sure there are a lot of type As out there but I thought some competitive people don't enjoy that aspect of their personality and seeing Jim being all out intense would remind themselves to be more relaxed but alas. I sincerely wonder did these people root for Colin and Christie way back when coz those two were insane compared to mild ole Jimmy

Edited November 8, 2014 by innominate

[viajero]

Kym and Alli's YouTube recaps of each leg of the race are really good.  Besides being frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious, they also provide a lot of good behind the scenes info, including explanations for things that were not really explained well in the episodes.  But what I enjoy best about these recaps is how excited they are about the experience, even when things didn't go their way.  I was also struck by just how attractive Alli is when she's all cleaned up and not in race mode.

 

One of my favorite stories is the one about how they met a rock band on the 13 hour ferry ride from the Shetlands back to the mainland.  While Kym kept flirting with the boys in the band and plying them with beers, Alli was busy using one of their cell phones to get on that first flight into Copenhagen.  I'm not sure when these girls slept though, as it sounds like they never passed up an opportunity to meet the locals, go drinking or just generally have fun during all the downtime. It sounds like Oxford was just the first in a series of similar escapades.

 

Given the way they include a lot of footage from show, including stuff that I haven't even seen online, I assume they must have gotten the approval and cooperation of CBS.

 

You can find the recaps here: https://www.youtube.com/user/KymNonStop/videos

 

Whoever cast these girls on the show deserves a bonus.

Edited November 9, 2014 by viajero

[aradia22]

They continued to be fun this episode. I also think they might be the first team to really speak out against the dentists. It's a shame they couldn't secure another win but as they admitted, the dentists beat them fair and square.

[Kromm]

Kym and Alli's YouTube recaps of each leg of the race are really good.  Besides being frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious, they also provide a lot of good behind the scenes info, including explanations for things that were not really explained well in the episodes.  But what I enjoy best about these recaps is how excited they are about the experience, even when things didn't go their way.  I was also struck by just how attractive Alli is when she's all cleaned up and not in race mode.

 

One of my favorite stories is the one about how they met a rock band on the 13 hour ferry ride from the Shetlands back to the mainland.  While Kym kept flirting with the boys in the band and plying them with beers, Alli was busy using one of their cell phones to get on that first flight into Copenhagen.  I'm not sure when these girls slept though, as it sounds like they never passed up an opportunity to meet the locals, go drinking or just generally have fun during all the downtime. It sounds like Oxford was just the first in a series of similar escapades.

 

Given the way they include a lot of footage from show, including stuff that I haven't even seen online, I assume they must have gotten the approval and cooperation of CBS.

 

You can find the recaps here: https://www.youtube.com/user/KymNonStop/videos

 

Whoever cast these girls on the show deserves a bonus.

I had no clue they were doing this.  

 

Big thumbs up for finding it.

ETA: Actually, from the tiny hit count they're getting apparently NOBODY knows about these.  If CBS is assisting, they sure aren't promoting it.

[auntlada]

One of my favorite stories is the one about how they met a rock band on the 13 hour ferry ride from the Shetlands back to the mainland.  While Kym kept flirting with the boys in the band and plying them with beers, Alli was busy using one of their cell phones to get on that first flight into Copenhagen.  I'm not sure when these girls slept though, as it sounds like they never passed up an opportunity to meet the locals, go drinking or just generally have fun during all the downtime. It sounds like Oxford was just the first in a series of similar escapades.

 

Either they give the teams a lot more money than they used to, or they're going to end up in trouble eventually. (My guess is they get lots more money since they don't even mention how much they get anymore.)

[viajero]

Either they give the teams a lot more money than they used to, or they're going to end up in trouble eventually. (My guess is they get lots more money since they don't even mention how much they get anymore.)

 

 

Actually, they talk a lot about how they managed the limited funds they were given.  Basically, they tried to spend almost nothing on meals, keeping what they could from the flights, from the free breakfasts when they spent nights in hotels, and any other opportunity to horde food.  It sounds like Kym is a very experienced budget traveler and knows all the tricks.