While we were away. Clear the steeple. To spartan. Martino . The tightest race of the season got even tighter as comeback kids and team grit jostled for position at the steeple run. Nice and calm. Martino and free spirits scramble to keep pace. Its downhill. Jones as we rejoin the action, free spirits are 54 seconds behind the leaders. Keep going. I got her. You got this. Grants gonna catch you, okay . Big jump. And plant and go. Jones and martinooh youre okay. Jones ryan woods just throws tiffany across the creek. Martino what a tough position for tiffany nguyen. Jones and its a sea of red and black up ahead. Comeback kids captain ian deyerle out in front followed closely by team grits Monica Gilmore. Martino theres ninja lance pekus. And look at grits captain Spencer Mahoney. This course brings elite athletes to their knees. Oh, my. Look at kevin bull. Hes exhausted. Hell need to catch his breath before the dunk walls. Jones what a race. Remember, the only way to guarantee a spot in the championship is to win this heat. If you dont, you got to beat American Dream teams time from semifinal heat 1 to capture the wildcard. Come on, guys. Jones kevin bull is still at the first dunk wall, kyle. Martino hes struggling. Jones with bull slowed up, comeback kids need to carpe diem and jump into the lead. Martino kevin has been powerhouse, but hes not moving. Keep pushing. Keep pushing. Jones here come the free spirits. Theyre gaining on us jones ryan woods wont let tiffany quit. What a leader. Give him a shove. Martino crazy craver dives head first. Jones i love it. Martino and finally, kevin bull dives under that narrow, 18inch gap. Well see if that delay cost team grit. You okay . Jones you could hear kevin apologize to spencer. Meanwhile, ian deyerle goes under the second wall. Comeback kids in the lead. Martino and kevin bull, the last to go again for team grit. Jones and here come free spirits at wall number two. Incredible. All three teams are just seconds apart, and evan dollard has the best seat in the house. This is it. The comeback kids are coming out of the dunk wall and onto the final obstacle of the slip wall. It is slick. It is wet. This is gonna be an incredible challenge at the end of our extended course. And neckandneck with them is team grit. Theyre building their human ladder right how. This is an incredible finals. This is what the spartan race is all about. And here comes grant mccartney of the free spirits. All three of our teams are on the slip wall at the same time. Martino comeback kids place 61 beni and 57 lynnae in the middle of their ladder, and matt climbs right up to the top. Dhani, grant mccartney needs reinforcements. Hes slipping. Jones and just in the nick of time. Oh martinowatch out. Dollard neil craver comes tumbling down all the way from the top, and hes quickly back up. That is a ninja response right there. Martino lets see that again. Ouch right there neil just spring boarded right off tiffanys back to get up. Jones apologize later. Martino up top comeback kids Laura Messner, trading spots with matt campione as they hold on to a very slim lead. Jones and kevin bull got his second wind. He summits for team grit. Martino but 61 beni giffords about to make his move. Dollard he leaps. He grabs. Hes got it. Step on my foot martino it looks like tiffany and the free spirits may have hit a wall here. You really have to wonder how they wouldve faired with a healthy joy cox. Jones benis ready for their captain ian deyerle to grab his legs. Come on. Get up here jones boom martino thats big. Jones got both of benis feet. Hes on his way up. crowd chanting climb that wall cheering martino using the arms of his teammate like monkey bars. This takes complete trust, and comeback kids clearly have it. No one is letting go. Grab my shirt. Go jones comeback kids have done it again. They just beat out two of the most formidable opponents weve seen all season long. Martino i didnt see that coming. Jones spartans take down the ninjas martino comeback kids living up to their name. They were in 3rd place at the lake crossing and trailed free spirits most of the race. chanting comeback kids what an amazing victory. crowd cheering yeah martino this group of friends helped each other overcome hard times and now they get to celebrate all theyve accomplished. Jones and theres team captain ians dad enjoying the moment. We stashed em martino lets get back to the slip wall where the last remaining spot in the finals is still up for grabs. Both teams are well ahead of the pace set by heat 1 runnersup American Dream team, so, barring a disaster, whoever crosses the line next, will earn the wildcard and still has a shot at 250,000. Jones free spirits and team grit each have three at the top. Martino lance pekus sizing up the jump for grit. Jones and on the left, grant mccartney fighting to lift up ryan woods. Come on, grant martino lance is up. Look at him climb up Spencer Mahoney. crowd chanting go go go jones grit is in the home stretch. They have to pull spencer over. This could be it. Give me your other foot. Relax it, relax give me your other foot. Relax jones desperation setting in for free spirits. cheering move down jones so team grit finishes ahead of fellow ninjas, free spirits, and faster than the runnersup from our first semifinal, American Dream team. Martino so kevin bull and lance pekus earn bragging rights over grant mccartney and neil craver. But more importantly, they still got a shot at the 250,000 grand prize. Jones they crossed the finish line only 43 seconds after the winners. And dont forget, theyve been here before. Martino and just a few weeks ago. Jones grit didnt win their first heat in qualifying either, but came back to win the final. Martino these two teams battled with team grit jumping out to an early lead. But when they stepped on their fellow ninjas at the lake crossing. I love you, ninjas, but get out of the way. Theyd open the door for comeback kids to do just that. And at the slip wall, comeback kids were just a little faster and reached the finish line first. Jones lets check in with mj acosta whos standing by with the winners of the second semifinal. Comeback kids living up to your name. You beat both american Ninja Warrior teams. I mean. all cheering . How are you feeling about that . Im im just gonna say, this is a spartan race. This is Obstacle Course racing. This isnt Ninja Warrior. I wouldnt come out cocky into a Ninja Warrior tournament. Thats for sure. This is spartan race, and we are spartans. Acosta keep that up, cause you got to do this again. In the final you got team grit there, so got get em, guys. Were bound to. See you guys jones coming up. The final three teams are set. Grit grit comeback kids all best team ever Hunter Mcintyre were not the youngest team. Were not the strongest team, but we love each other. And thats why we will be champions. Were going to encourage one another, and support each other, and help each other. And, guys, thank you so much for joining me on this. If we were to win this race. It would represent overcoming all the struggles that weve been going through. Yeah were gonna go win this thing. I love you guys, man. This piece is so you. I saw it and i was just like oh, i have to have it. State farm knows that every one those moments, theres one of these. This piece is so you. I saw it and i was just like i have to have it. From renters insurance. To rewards credit cards, state farm is here to help life go right. Never underestimate the power of energizer. Our longest lasting energizer max ever. we got a new Family Member and she got a nutritious meal of purina cat chow complete with the four cornerstones of nutrition including high quality protein. Now our family is complete. Purina cat chow complete. Hereheres how it feels to amerget fifty percent offwork. Most National Carrier rates too. So, imagine how it feels to switch to sprint and buy an iphone 6s and get another one free when you add a second line. This is it. Welcomethe big dog. Artan. The main event. A quarter of a Million Dollar mile, and its about to go down. All the cuts, the sprains and the bruises, theyll fade, but the memories these teams are making, those, theyll last forever. And, dhani, there are 15 athletes remaining in the chase for the title, but what i see are three very strong united teams. In spartan, no one triumphs alone. And im glad were up here and not down there, because this course. Its a lot safer up here. Its a beast. Martino in tonights championship final, each team will have to hit five spears at the spear throw. Plus tackle the vicious log traverse requiring immense arm and leg strength to walk a 200pound log down 60 feet of wall. There you see the muddy minglers getting ready for the championship final. Earlier today in semifinal heat 1, stephanie buech of the minglers had some problems on the giant tire swing. Yeah, yeah okay jones she cleared the water, but crash landed hard on that pad. crying jones and badly twisted her left ankle. Now the minglers did have an opportunity to replace stephanie like the free spirits replaced joy cox, but even with 250,000 on the line, theyve decided to stick together. You gotta win together or lose together. Mj acosta is standing by with the minglers now. Mj. Muddy minglers. What a tremendous journey to get you guys here to the championship heat. But now without its hardships. Stephanie, your ankle bothering you a lot almost made you doubt whether or not you were gonna run this with your team. But, they stood behind you. They did. They did. Um, i didnt what to be the reason that we lose, because i know that we can take this entire competition. But they said we stand behind you 100 . Uh, they said it would not be the same without you, and they cared more about running for me. Acosta how quick were you guys to tell her, um, thats not an option. If i have to choose between splitting 250,000 between people and running with her, im running with her. Win together. Lose together. Thats what its all about. All right, good luck, you guys. Well see you out there. Back to you guys. Thanks, mj. Thank you. Jones thanks, mj. True Spartan Spirit showing there. You dance with the one who brought you. Martino well have to see how much stephanies ankle slows em down. The race is ours. All right. Together yeah. Martino i dont know if any can slow down comeback kids. But, honestly, i couldnt be more proud of the team that i have right here. Ive been looking around at the other competition, and ian truly does have the best hair. All right. Campione thats what keeps us going. All right, ready . All one, two, three, comeback kids whoo jones kyle, these guys just need to do what theyve done every race. Win. Martino the team in black, team grit, failed to win their qualifying heat. You dont get a Second Chance on ninja. You know theyre going to make the most of this opportunity. Pekus we lost by 45 seconds, we know where we can pick up some time. Lets go out and do it. Guys, thank you so much for joining me on this. I. For real. I couldnt be happier with the team that ive got here. And im really excited to do this last race with you. So. Its been an honor. For real. Amen. Lets do it for the team. Grit. On three. All one, two, three. Grit jones this crowds fired up. And our racers are almost ready to go. Martino in these final minutes you can see team grit captain, Spencer Mahoney, better known on instagram as spartan spencer, setting his tomtom fitness watch to track his heart rate and calories burned throughout the race. Jones so here we go. These three teams are as ready as theyll ever be and theyre hungry for that 250,000 prize. Three teams left and only one will win the championship. Theres really nothing else left to say. Martino actually, there is. Together blow. That. Horn air horn blowing jonesand theyre off. Team grit in black, muddy minglers in blue, and the comeback kids in red sprint up the hill towards the walls. yelling hunter no surrender, team. Martino no surprise. Hunter is pushing his team as grits lance pekus is quickly up and over. Help her up. Jones wow, stephanie buech already limping here. Its gonna take a real team effort to get her to the finish line. My feet, my feet. Hold me up. Jones all season long weve heard their rallying cry. Everything youve got no way stephanies going down without a fight. Martino meanwhile, the ninjas of team grit are sailing through this obstacle. Cattle rancher lance pekus singlehandedly boosting his entire team up the tenfoot wall. You got it. Come on. Way to go, vinnie. Jones they have a slight lead here over comeback kids. Martino finally, hunter getting his team cover the first wall. The minglers fall behind early. Good. Jones grit and comeback already moving on to that imposing 16foot wall. Martino lets watch the strategies here. Who goes first and who goes last for each team. Lock, lock. Jones both teams send their Team Captains up first. Spencer mahoney for grit, and ian deyerle for comeback kids. Martino wow. Dhani, both teams making it look easy. Matt campione and kevin bull fly up the wall, followed by monica for grit and lynnae for comeback kids. Keep going. Keep going. Martino lynnae is a Software Analyst and credits spartan racing with turning her life around. Lynnae kettler i got married young and things werent healthy. When i decided to to get a divorce, i was going through a really rough time and i needed an outlet other than drinking, and spartan helped me with that. As i started getting more into spartan races, i started running with a coworker of mine, and we really got along well. Our relationship progressed. He asked me to marry him. crowd cheering and were now married. giggles so, thats how we met. I just want people to realize that even if youre down or or somethings going wrong in your life, that you can come back from it. Martino lynnae, looking strong as her team keeps pace with team grit. Dani good job. Come on, up, up, up, up, up. Jones back at the 16foot wall, ken martin is last up for the minglers as stephanie makes her way down. Oh, my god. Okay. stephanie crying martino you can hear the agony shes in, dhani. Hold me. Hold me. Martino ian and spencer are first to the lake swing for comeback kids and grit. Hold on. Lets go, girls. Jones and theyll go with the same strategy, women first. One, two, three, go go go jones oh and lynnae lands in the water. Shell have to stay there until her whole team is across. Martino ian and matt glide together. Good job. Jones and the ninja men fly three across. Oh and lance gets soaked in that freezing water. Now hes already out and onto that pad. Martino this is so tense, dhani. These two are very evenly matched. Grit and comeback kids battling for 1st. Nice steady pace. Good job. Martino the rematch is just as tight as the original. And finally, the muddy minglers are at the lake. Stephanies ankle becoming a major factor. Great job, crew. Keep it up, guys. Youre doing great. Jump, go swing just let go just let go martino you can hear hunter, just let go but they should be going two at a time. Nice swing. And you both, lets go. Jones oh and dani stratmans short. Together three, two, one, go martino there they go. Jones now theyve got it. Ryan and ken make it across together oh. Watch out martinothere goes hunter. Not even waiting for ken to clear the pad. Jones hes a beast martino almost all the muddy minglers are soaked. Go go go go keep going. Jones comeback has a slight lead over grit as they approach the shore. Pull pull pull pull jones muddy minglers getting on their raft. Lets see if they can make up some time, kyle. grunting row row come on row at the same time martino listen to hunter barking orders and willing them across the lake. Row like you mean it, ryan. Give it some bleep muscle lets row were okay. Almost. Jones matt campione out front for comeback as they hoist that 200 pound log. Your front. Your front. Jones 250,000 to the winner, kyle. Martino and id carry you on my shoulders for that kind of money. Howre you guys doing . Both good. Good. Jones look at this. Hunters already pulled the minglers 300 feet across the lake. Martino that guys a machine. Jones theyve just made up about 15 seconds. Yeah. Guide us. Martino comeback kids putting the shorter teammate matt up front and taller beni gifford in the back. To get them up those steps. Even the smaller strategies make a difference in a race this close. All right. Jones comeback locked into the brackets first. Okay, up. Jones now grits locked in. One, two, three. Jones comeback kids with a clean dismount. Drop. Jones and theyre both across quickly. groaning martinohere come the muddy minglers. Man, they really made up some time on the lake crossing, dhani. Jones and now the log traverse. You need to Work Together to walk that log down 60 feet of walls. Martino ian deyerle out front, and beni gifford in the back. Theyre like the engine and the caboose. Push it, push it. Jones and Monica Gilmore just hanging there for grit. And thats dead weight. Come on, guys. Push push, you guys. Jones wow. Look at beni. Martino the caboose is doing pretty good. Jones using his long legs to get them across. Martino grits still fighting their way down the walls. Okay, we got this. Hang on. One more. Good grunts jones and theyre done. And moving on to the army crawl. Dont surrender, team jones but the muddy minglers arent tapping out just yet. Up, up, up jones there are only 15 seconds behind grit. Were almost there. Okay. Martino and grit completes the traverse. And look at the minglers still in it. Legs up legs up jones hunter is pushing his entire team through the traverse. Beast mode ah introducing tmobiles most epic deal ever get a free Samsung Galaxy for everyone in the family. Thats right, a free Samsung Galaxy with every new line and get 4 lines with 6 gigs each for just 30 bucks a line. Plus everybody gets unlimited streaming from their favorite services. Dont wait. Get a free Samsung Galaxy for everyone. So get tmobile now. Because our most epic deal ever is only for limited time. Kelloggs® frosted 8 layers of wheat. And one thats sweet. For the adult and kid in all of us. Kelloggs frosted miniwheats® feed your inner kidult bloggithe look . Ashion week. Volume. Without the stiffness. Tresemme beautyfull volume. A revolutionary reverse system. First condition for softness. Second shampoo to wash away weight. And style for touchably soft volume. Tresemme beautyfull volume. Moms know their kids ne