Four teams of 3 compete to win $1,000,000 by traversing difficult courses around the globe. You might consider this a combination of "The Amazing Race" and "Running Wild", but here the four teams race on four different courses.
One starts in Siberia and ends at Vladivostok. Another team races across Canada, from Quebec to Vancouver. The third starts in Vietnam and races to Singapore. And the fourth team starts in Argentina, at the southernmost tip of South America, and races westward to the Pacific.
Each team traverses 13 stages, acquiring points based upon how quickly they get to a checkpoint, as compared with times established by experts. It's like playing against par in golf. In the final stage, all four teams race to the same spot for the million dollars, handicapped according to how well they performed over the 13 previous stages.
The teams are made up of amateurs who like adventure and competition. There is no shortage of confidence. But it is clear, even after the first episode, that they will be greatly challenged by weather, topography, team dynamics, and their personal physical limitations. Navigation via GPS can be a challenge in itself.
I usually enjoy ultra challenges like this one. Testing the human spirit can be entertaining and affirming. And there is some beautiful scenery along these courses. Imagine biking along the remote coastline of Lake Baikal, for example.
