Why Weren't *Spoiler* Eliminated From 'Race to Survive: Alaska'?

Episode 2 of “Race To Survive: Alaska” saw the first leg of the highly competitive race come to a close with all the remaining contestants arriving at the survival camp ready to recoup and prepare for their next grand adventure. However, some may be wondering why no team, particularly the last-place finishers, was eliminated from the show.

Toward the end of “Race To Survive: Alaska” Episode 2, viewers saw pro climbing duo Genevive Walker and Favia Dubyk finally make it to the finish crate a day later than almost everyone else. Despite this, there were still medallions waiting for them and they were allowed to move on to the next leg of the competition. This may have some people wondering what happened and how eliminations on the show actually work. 

Why weren’t Genevive and Favia eliminated after the first race?

As mentioned in the episode, although the two women placed last among the remaining racers, they still finished when one team did not. In Episode 1, Brett Gatten and Esther Sanderlin were forced out of the competition when Esther had a medical emergency that precluded her team from going any further. “Race To Survive: Alaska” is a race against the teams, but it is also a survival series that pits its contestants against the elements. Because Brett and Esther were taken out of the race by the harsh Alaskan heat, they are considered to be the first team eliminated and bested by the race. 

How does elimination work on ‘Race To Survive: Alaska’? 

There are a few ways teams can be eliminated from the competition. If one or both team members are unable to finish the race due to a medical emergency or simply quitting, they will be eliminated (as was the case for Brett and Esther). Meanwhile, each race has a time limit, forcing the competitors to keep it moving. If that clock expires before teams have reached the finish line, the teams that are still racing will be eliminated. 

RELATED: The 'Race to Survive: Alaska' Teams Are Allowed Rare Supplies – But What Are They Carrying?

Finally, if all teams finish the race before the race clock expires, the team that comes in last will not have a medallion waiting for them in the crate and will therefore be sent home having lost to their fellow competitors. 

Do the people who place first win anything? 

In terms of prizes, there is no reward for being the first team to cross the finish line in each race other than it guarantees them a place in the next one. The show and its $500,000 cash prize will all come down to whoever wins the final race of the competition. So, it’s all about getting to that last race in one, able-bodied piece. 

However, that’s not to say there aren’t vast advantages of coming in first in each race. Between each new challenge, the contestants will have to live on their own in the woods for a few days recuperating their resources and resting. If they arrive at the survival camp first, they have their pick of prime camping, they can be the first to forage for berries, food and other nutrients before everyone else picks it over and they get the maximum amount of time to relax. 

Teams who finish close to last will have to sleep in the worst spots and work much harder to find what little food and resources the camp has to offer, which puts them at a disadvantage for trading as well. Alaska Bros Oliver and Wilson Hoogendorn, who won the first race, got a whole extra day of rest compared to Genevive and Favia, who just arrived at the camp and will have the least time to rest before moving on to the second race. 

So, not only do they not want to come in last, but finishing early sets them up incredibly well for the next phase of the competition. That said, it all ends when it ends at the final race. So, while Genevive and Favia are certainly down right now, all it takes is one good placement in the next race to turn it all around. 

Catch “Race to Survive: Alaska” Mondays at 11/10c on USA Network. You can catch more survival shows on Peacock now.