Prince George’s Grace Dove and Joe Syme surged to the front of the pack in this week’s episode of The Amazing Race Canada, winning Leg 8 of the cross-country competition after a commanding performance that spanned Ontario and Quebec.
It’s the second first-place finish in a row for the siblings.
The duo claimed first place, earning $10,000 and a trip for two to Florence, Italy, in an episode that tested racers with everything from freestyle scootering to a vertigo-inducing wire climb between Mississauga skyscrapers — which Dove pulled off with ease.
The leg began in Front of Yonge, Ont., where teams tackled a ropes course and scavenged for Boost drinks containing 13 specified nutrients. Dove and Syme were among the fastest to complete the task — giving them early momentum and positioning them well for the episode’s Blind Double U-Turn vote. They cast their vote for rival sibling team EB and Blake Burnett — a choice that later helped slow down the competition.
After a flight through Montreal and back into Mississauga, teams learned the results of the U-Turn at Toronto Pearson Airport before heading to the Bell Mobility headquarters, where they loaded packages into a BrightDrop electric delivery van. Dove and Syme remained focused, maintaining their lead heading into the Detour.
At a simulated Jackalope Festival at CJ’s Skatepark, the pair chose a challenge called Roll it Up, which required one team member to complete a scooter obstacle course in under 75 seconds.
After multiple falls, Syme completed the course on his third attempt, prompting Dove to say what became the episode’s title: “I’m just practicing falling.”
The episode’s pivotal moment came at the Absolute World towers, where Dove undertook the Roadblock challenge — crossing a wire between the towers, 170 metres above the ground, using an ascender — which she did with steady determination. It kept the team in first place.
Next, at an Ornge training facility, teams were tested on their emergency medical skills. Dove and Syme successfully stabilized a simulated amputee patient, administering a tourniquet, medication, intubation and defibrillation to pass the test.
They arrived first at the Pit Stop at JC Saddington Park, where host Jon Montgomery awarded them the leg win and praised their performance.
Dove is an actor, while Syme is a diamond driller.
Another set of siblings in the series, Lacey and Celia Keoghan, were eliminated after falling behind during the Detour and U-Turn and finishing this leg of the race last.
There are five two-person teams left in the race.
The next episode, titled We're Full of Moose Farts, airs Tuesday, Sept. 8 on CTV. Episodes can also be seen at ctv.ca.
