The Challenge: Rivals

Rivals is the 21st season of The Challenge. It premiered on June 22nd, 2011 and concluded with the reunion special on September 11th, 2011. This season marked the first time in which there was a change of location during the competition.

Description

Can you trust your worst enemy? That is the question that twenty-eight vicious competitors will be asking themselves this season as they travel to the lush jungles of Costa Rica to compete in a thrilling new Challenge: Rivals. These fan favorites will receive the shock of their lives when they learn that their one and only teammate will be their biggest rival! In order to win, these arch-enemies must figure out how to overcome their rocky pasts and compete together for a jaw-dropping grand prize. Over $300,000 is at stake, and these bitter rivals will fight tooth and nail in order to get their hands on a cut of the cash!

However, not every rival pair will make it to the end to fight for a share of the wealth. Teams will live in fear of "The Jungle" -- a mentally and physically exhausting elimination round. Avoiding the dreaded "Jungle" will mean that these bitter enemies must learn to work together, despite their ugly pasts, in order to win challenges. Here's how it works: there will be male challenge days and female challenge days. After each challenge, the winning duo will be safe from "The Jungle." However, ranks will be thinned as the last place pair will automatically be sent into "The Jungle." Their opponents will be selected by their peers in a public forum. These two unlucky teams will battle it out in "The Jungle" for survival. The winning pair will stay in the game to pursue their dreams of victory. The losing pair, however, will be sent home in disgrace. Only the pairs that make it to the end will have a chance at the money.

With over $300,000 on the line, these players must quickly learn to bury the hatchet with their rival or risk losing a shot at the cash. Old tensions will arise and new feuds will form. Partnerships will be tested, romances will blossom, hearts will be broken, and punches will be thrown, as battles rage both on and off the playing field. And in a shocking, mid-season twist, players will be sent over 3,000 miles away to a new location! Those who manage to survive until the end will compete in what is undeniably the biggest, baddest, most treacherous finale in Challenge history -- where one male team and one female team will win it all and be crowned champions of Rivals.

Cast

Teams
	Partner 2		Finish
Johnny Devenanzio RW: Key West		Tyler Duckworth RW: Key West	Winners in At the End of the World
Evelyn Smith Fresh Meat		Paula Meronek RW: Key West	Winners in At the End of the World
Kenny Santucci Fresh Meat		Wes Bergmann RW: Austin	Runners-Up in At the End of the World
Cara Maria Sorbello Fresh Meat II		Laurel Stucky Fresh Meat II	Runners-Up in At the End of the World
Leroy Garrett RW: Las Vegas (2011)		Michael Ross RW: Las Vegas (2011)	Third Place (Disqualified) in At the End of the World
Jenn Grijalva RW: Denver		Mandi Moyer Fresh Meat II	Third Place (Disqualified) in At the End of the World
Adam King RW: Paris		Chris "CT" Tamburello RW: Paris	Eliminated in The Storm Before the Storm
Jasmine Reynaud RW: Cancun		Jonna Mannion RW: Cancun	Eliminated in Blood on the Dance Floor
Evan Starkman Fresh Meat		Nehemiah Clark RW: Austin	Eliminated in Blowup
Katelynn Cusanelli RW: Brooklyn		Sarah Rice RW: Brooklyn	Eliminated in Ill Communication
Brandon Nelson Fresh Meat II		Ty Ruff RW: D.C.	Eliminated in D-Day
Camila Nakagawa Spring Break Challenge		Theresa Gonzalez Fresh Meat II	Eliminated in Underdog Day Afternoon
Davis Mallory RW: Denver		Tyrie Ballard RW: Denver	Eliminated in Through the Looking Glass
Aneesa Ferreira RW: Chicago		Robin Hibbard RW: San Diego	Eliminated in Welcome to the Jungle
Adam Royer RW: Las Vegas (2011)	N/A		Disqualified in Welcome to the Jungle

Format

Each team will consist of players who will be paired with their "worst enemies," whom they have engaged in bitter feuds, fights and rivalries with in previous Real World and/or Challenge seasons.

Each team participates in numerous challenges, which are followed by an elimination round called "The Jungle." Each challenge is alternatively designated as either a male or a female challenge day. The winning team of the gender not designated for the Jungle is awarded $2,000. The winning team whose gender is designated for elimination wins immunity from the Jungle, while the team that finishes last is automatically sent to the Jungle. A public vote is cast by teams of the opposite gender to determine which team of the same gender will face the last-place finisher in the Jungle. The team who wins the elimination round returns to the game and has a shot at a $300,000 prize, while the losing team is eliminated from the game.

At the end of the season, six teams will compete in the final challenge — three of each gender.

Money for finalists is split as follows:

First Place: $100,000 ($50,000 each)
Second Place: $50,000 ($25,000 each)
Third Place: Walks away empty-handed

Game Summary

Elimination chart

Episode		Gender	Challenge winners				Jungle contestants				Jungle game	Jungle outcome
#	Challenge	Gender	Won $2,000		Safe from the Jungle		Last-place finisher		Voted Into Jungle		Jungle game	Winning team		Eliminated
1	High Dive	Female		Adam R. & Leroy		Jasmine & Jonna		Evelyn & Paula		Aneesa & Robin	Hands On		Evelyn & Paula		Aneesa & Robin
2	Car Crusher	Male		Evelyn & Paula		Adam K. & CT		Kenny & Wes		Davis & Tyrie	Blast Off		Kenny & Wes		Davis & Tyrie
3	Sync or Swim	Female		Adam K. & CT		Evelyn & Paula		Cara Maria & Laurel		Camila & Theresa	Door Jam		Cara Maria & Laurel		Camila & Theresa
4	Hammock Crawl	Male	N/A			Johnny & Tyler		Kenny & Wes		Brandon & Ty	Going Up		Kenny & Wes		Brandon & Ty
5	Against the Current	Female		Johnny & Tyler		Jenn & Mandi		Katelynn & Sarah		Jasmine & Jonna	Unburied		Jasmine & Jonna		Katelynn & Sarah
6	Catch & Release	Male		Cara Maria & Laurel		Kenny & Wes		Evan & Nehemiah		Adam K. & CT	Rail Slide		Adam K. & CT		Evan & Nehemiah
7	Sawed Off	Female		Johnny & Tyler		Evelyn & Paula		Cara Maria & Laurel		Jasmine & Jonna	Blast Off		Cara Maria & Laurel		Jasmine & Jonna
8/9	Bombs Away	Male		Evelyn & Paula		Leroy & Michael		Adam K. & CT		Johnny & Tyler	T-Bone		Johnny & Tyler		Adam K. & CT
9/10	Final Challenge			Evelyn & Paula			2nd place: Cara Maria & Laurel, 3rd place: Jenn & Mandi*
9/10	Final Challenge			Johnny & Tyler			2nd place: Kenny & Wes, 3rd place: Leroy & Michael*

Notes

Leroy's original partner, Adam R., was sent home prior to the first Jungle for punching Ty. His RW: Las Vegas roommate, Michael Ross, was brought in as Leroy's replacement partner. Ironically, due to the theme of Rivals, Leroy & Michael were very good friends on their original season. The "High Dive" challenge was won by the team of Adam R. & Leroy, prior to Adam's disqualification.
Episode 4
- Cara Maria & Laurel were the only two women to complete the "Hammock Crawl" challenge, but were disqualified for going over the 15-minute time limit. Therefore, no female team won any money.
- Evan & Nehemiah completed the "Hammock Crawl" challenge in the fastest time. However, they were disqualified for touching more than two hammocks at a time, after host T.J. Lavin explained to each team that doing so would result in a DQ. Therefore, the male team with the next fastest time — Johnny & Tyler — was declared the winner by default.
Jenn & Mandi and Leroy & Michael were both disqualified during the final challenge, and finished in third by default. Jenn & Mandi were disqualified on day 1, after taking too long to complete the "Pile Up" and "Re-creation Campsite" checkpoints. When daylight ran out, producers informed Jenn & Mandi that advancing to the "Final Feast" checkpoint would be too dangerous to attempt in the dark. (It has been implied, though, at the reunion, that Jenn & Mandi were actually incapable of completing the tent puzzle and were told to move on simply for footage purposes.) Leroy & Michael were disqualified on day 2, after they decided that Michael was too worn out to climb the mountain without injuring himself.

Jungle Progress

Teams		Episodes
Teams		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8/9	Finale
	Johnny & Tyler	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	WIN	SAFE	WIN	JUNGLE	WINNERS
	Evelyn & Paula	JUNGLE	WIN	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	WIN	WINNERS
	Kenny & Wes	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	SECOND
	Cara Maria & Laurel	SAFE	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	JUNGLE	SAFE	SECOND
	Leroy & Michael	N/A	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	THIRD
	Jenn & Mandi	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	THIRD
	Adam K. & CT	SAFE	WIN	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	OUT
	Jasmine & Jonna	WIN	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	JUNGLE	SAFE	OUT
	Evan & Nehemiah	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	OUT
	Katelynn & Sarah	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	OUT
	Brandon & Ty	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	OUT
	Camila & Theresa	SAFE	SAFE	OUT
	Davis & Tyrie	SAFE	OUT
	Aneesa & Robin	OUT
	Adam R. & ~~Leroy~~	DQ

Competition: The team won the competition.; The team did not win the final challenge.; The team could not complete the final challenge and was disqualified.; The team won the mission, and was safe from the Jungle.; The team won the mission and $2,000.; The team was not selected for the Jungle.; The team won in the Jungle.; The team lost in the Jungle and was eliminated.; The team won the mission and $2,000, one team member was later disqualified from the competition, and his/her partner later received a replacement teammate.

Gallery

The Challenge Series

Road Rules: All Stars • Real World vs. Road Rules • Challenge 2000 • Extreme Challenge • Battle of the Seasons (2002) • Battle of the Sexes • The Gauntlet • The Inferno • Battle of the Sexes 2 • The Inferno II • The Gauntlet 2 • Fresh Meat • The Duel • The Inferno 3 • The Gauntlet III • The Island • The Duel II • The Ruins • Fresh Meat II • Cutthroat • Rivals • Battle of the Exes • Battle of the Seasons (2012) • Rivals II • Free Agents • Battle of the Exes II • Battle of the Bloodlines • Rivals III • Invasion of the Champions • Dirty 30 • Vendettas • Final Reckoning • War of the Worlds • War of the Worlds 2 • Total Madness • Double Agents • Spies, Lies & Allies • Ride or Dies • Battle for a New Champion