by Gina Scarpa

As we head into the 9th leg of The Amazing Race, I'm hoping CBS wouldn't really show us in their previews this past week that Mark and Bopper will be eliminated. Only time will tell... but I'll spent the next hour on pins and needles over whether or not Mark gets that Bollywood dance down!

Teams are headed to Cochin, India where they must take a bus to Sacred Heart College in Thevara. Art and JJ are still giving Dave and Rachel the silent treatment over last week's U-Turn debacle. It really doesn't seem like that big of a deal but the border patrol agents are sure to turn it into one. Vanessa and Ralph are the only team to board another flight and arrive in India first, but the rest of the pack arrives minutes later. So much for that lead.

At Sacred Heart College, teams face a Road Block. Both Rachels, JJ, Vanessa, and Mark take on the challenge of learning a Bollywood dance routine. Rachel (of Dave and Rachel) absolutely nails it and gives quite an impressive performance. In fact, she's the only one to get it on the first try! They are the first to take off for the next task, located at a nearby coffee house. Vanessa gets the dance on the third try, and Rachel gets it on the fourth, as does JJ, which leaves an exhausted Mark behind to try to finish this thing.

The Detour at the coffee house asks teams to choose between Cricket or Clutch It. In Cricket, both team members have to hit a ball past a professional player. In Clutch It, teams have to learn how to drive a three-wheeled vehicle and drive people around a training course. I thought I'd be all about cricket... until I see Brendon and Rachel and Art and JJ take a crack at it! It takes them a few tries but Dave and Rachel finish the driving task first and head to the pit stop at Bolgatty Palace.

When Dave and Rachel check in, Phil announces that they've won a trip to St. Lucia.  This marks the fifth time they've finished in first!  Brendon and Rachel arrive next, followed by Art and JJ, and Vanessa and Ralph.  Back at the Road Block, Mark gives up after eleven failed attempts, which is heartbreaking to watch.  After a pep talk by Bopper and his dance instructor, he gets back on the stage for one more try.  They finally give it to him after twelve times through the dance and they head to complete Clutch It, then arrive last at the pit stop.  They escaped elimination once before and make it through again.  It's a non-elimination leg!  

The Amazing Race airs Sundays at 8/7c on CBS.

(Image courtesy of CBS)

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