“It was the dancing that doomed us.”
Derek Gerard was in no doubt what cost him and best friend Jaspal Sidhu their coveted spot in CTV’s Amazing Race Canada, a journey which saw them traverse the country, including stops in Whistler and Tofino.
In the popular show’s seventh episode of the series on Tuesday night, the Richmond pair sadly finished last of the six remaining teams and were, of course, eliminated from the race to win $250,000.
Talking to the Richmond News from their homes – 28-year-old Gerard lives near the Oval, while Sidhu, 27, lives in Steveston – Gerard pointed to one of the last challenges in the leg, swing dancing in Ontario, for the pair’s exit.
The Steveston-London secondary alumni just couldn’t get some of the intricate moves down, in order to move onto the next challenge, costing them valuable time in the race.
“Yep, we got eliminated, so it sucks. We got really unlucky with the detour to the dancing challenge,” lamented Gerard, a professional YouTuber by day.
“The dance challenge cost us about 30 minutes.”
Helping rivals didn't cost us the race: Gerard
Asked if helping their nearest challengers, Jermaine and Justin, during the waterpark challenge cost them their place in the contest, Sidhu admitted it “wasn’t the smartest move, looking back at it now.
“If we had to redo it, we might not have done that. Because we did, and it was part of the reason we got knocked out, it was kind of poetic and hilarious, as we joked that it could be the reason we get knocked out.”
Gerard, however, said it was more to do with all the other teams helping each other during the leg of the race – and throughout the series filmed across Canada in May – that signaled the Richmond friends’ demise.
“When we helped Jermaine and Justin at the waterpark, it may be saved them five minutes… (it) was insignificant in the long run,” he added, noting that, in the dancing routine, there was “no opportunity to help each other memorize a routine.”
No one helped us during entire show
Much to the pair’s chagrin, the challenge some of the other pairs took on, as opposed to the dancing, was solving a giant puzzle, where they all helped each other, knowing that Team Gerard/Sidhu and Jermaine/Justin were struggling behind.
“We never had a chance to collaborate with anyone during the show…I think because we were so loud and obnoxious,” said Gerard, paying homage to the pair’s trademark neon clothing.
“I think the fact that we went out on an episode where everyone was working together made it feel (OK).
“They weren’t ganging up deliberately, but they all helped another team at some point, except us.”
Asked if it was their loud and brash nature that contributed to their undoing, Gerard said simply that it’s just what they do.
“If you see us playing one on one basketball, we’re chirping each other the whole time…I think that’s just how we have fun, riling up teammates and getting into ‘the zone,’ he explained.
“I do really well when someone is being loud and obnoxious and maybe it did bite us in the ass a little, but that’s just who we are.”
Incredibly, the best buds never fell out with each other once, despite the stress of the show – apart from just one time.
“The closest we got was when I was eating too many Oreos,” laughed Sidhu.
Jaspal’s diet was the “only thing we argued about,” added Gerard.
“He said he was stressed about the show so ate a whole pack of Oreos.”
The pair said they are looking forward to life getting back to normal and not having to answer questions from people asking if they won the Amazing Race.
“Knowing that you didn’t win but asking people to root for you was very strange,” said Gerard.
And will the guys be strutting their stuff down No. 3 Road in their hi-vis outfits?
“We were playing basketball near the Oval yesterday and Jaspal was literally wearing the outfit from the race. I think he just wants to get recognized,” signed off Gerard.
