In a forest on the west coast of Canada, two middle-aged British women are lost. Off they trot, straining under the weight of their heavy backpacks, only to come back the same way later on, past the same magnificent trees to try another route. Unmistakably, this is the return of Race Across the World.
Partly a nod to Jules Verne but mainly inspired by the urgent need for humankind to stop flying, Race Across the World sets a simple challenge. Travelling in pairs, contestants must complete an epic trip as quickly as possible, stopping at checkpoints along the way. It was London to Singapore in season one; Mexico City to Ushuaia, Argentina, in season two; and in this new, third run, the whole race takes place in Canada, zigzagging from Vancouver to St John’s. Teams are given money that would have covered the air fare, but they can’t do any of the trip by plane and they can’t access the internet to get tips on making the journey, which means they often have no idea how to proceed.
