Amazing Race update – From the furnace to the freezer

Teams started out in Accra, Ghana and need to make their way to Kiruna, Swedish and find the Ice Hotel. The nine remaining teams are all given tickets on the same flight but they are not compelled to take that flight. Team YouTube figures out there is an earlier flight and tells Team Kentucky; both teams secure the earlier connection through Frankfurt. It looks like those teams along with surgeons Nat & Kat along with Brook & Claire make it on the earlier flight to Sweden. The remaining five teams are on a flight leaving two hours later. The early lead is important to Kevin & Michael who must perform a "speed bump" due to their last-place finish last week.

At the Ice Hotel storage, Michael & Kevin must sit on ice furniture for ten minutes to fulfill the Speed Bump – that's it. Not much of a punishment, if you ask me. And it isn't as they jump into first place by finding the next clue and the Roadblock. At this challenge, teams take a dog sled around a loop and collect a series of flags. Team Surgeons and Team QVC are close behind. Michael finishes for Team YouTube and head off to the next clue at a train station. As we go to commercial, Jill & Thomas get lost on the way to the Roadblock; they possess the "Express Pass" to skip a challenge so this might be a good time to use it. Will they?

Team YouTube arrives at the train station and it's the Detour: Sleds or Beds. Teams may either sled down a mountain in less than 1:58 or build a tent based on Swedish nomad traditions. Michael & Kevin choose the tent while Team Surgeons head to the top of the mountain; Kat goes flying off the course. Team Kentucky finishes at a time of exactly 1:58 but they need to beat that time (that is, faster). Nat & Kat finish the sled Detour on their second try and head to the Pit Stop. Brook & Claire and Team Kentucky are close behind.

Chad & Stephanie have problems on the sled as Stephanie can't negotiate the sled, much to Chad's aggravation. Jill & Thomas sense they're in last place and decide (wisely, I think) to use their Express Pass to skip the Detour and head to the Pit Stop. Team A Capella and Team Volleyball both gave up on the sleds and headed to the tents. Team Las Vegas, Nick & Vicki, finished their sleds on the first run and headed to the Pit Stop. Running to the mat, Team Volleyball edged out Team A Capella and Connor & Jonathan are eliminated. Still, they're in high spirits, and accept the end of their Race singing all the way.

Final standings:
#1 – Team Surgeons – Nat & Kat – Prize: trip to Belize
#2 – Team Kentucky – Gary & Mallory
#3 – Team QVC – Brook & Claire
#4 – Team YouTube – Michael & Kevin
#5 – Jill & Thomas – used Express Pass
#6 – Nick & Vicki
#7 – Chad & Stephanie
#8 – Katie & Rachel
#9 – Connor & Jonathan – Team A Capella – PHILIMINATED

Next week – Christmas in Norway.