Race Across the World 2024 winners revealed

The exciting conclusion of the television show Race Across the World on BBC One saw the victory of two close companions, Alfie and Owen, as they reached the last stop in Lombok and received the £20,000 reward.

Following a thrilling final stretch where the outcome was uncertain until the end, the group of friends, who happen to be the youngest duo to ever achieve the feat, were announced as the champions of the grueling 15,000km competition spanning across Eastern Asia.

Despite facing formidable competition from Eugenie and Isabel, a mother and daughter team who put forth a valiant effort until the very end, the winners managed to hold them off and finish eight minutes ahead.

Betty and James came right after them as a duo of siblings, then Stephen and Viv arrived in fourth place as a couple.

Alfie and Owen raced to the end of the sandy shore and dove into the warm ocean, crossing the final checkpoint in first position. Ecstatic with joy, the two buddies yelled out "We did it!" and embraced each other. Later on, when they checked the guest book, they realized they had won the competition.

Owen expressed his excitement and triumph by saying: "We arrived, observed, and achieved our goals."

Alfie stated: "The best moment of our lives without a doubt. I can hardly believe it."

After reaching the beach in just eight minutes and securing second place, Eugenie exclaimed, "We made it! We came in second, and we couldn't have lost to anyone better than Alfie and Owen. They worked hard and definitely deserve it."

The subsequent day, Betty and James completed the race, taking them 24 hours and 34 minutes longer than the first-place winners. Coming in third was a satisfying outcome for them, and James commented, "Our primary goal was to finish the race, so achieving third place and not fourth was an additional accomplishment, right?"

Betty stated that they have improved their communication skills after going through this experience. Furthermore, both of them now have an additional support system, which is amazing.

Stephen and Viv expressed disappointment in not winning, as they arrived in fourth place, a full 30 hours and 20 minutes after the winners. They were, however, happy for the victorious team and acknowledged that the race had been an incredible adventure for them.

In the last part of the show, Alfie and Owen were leading but with just a narrow gap of 12 minutes ahead of Eugenie and Isabel. The journey started from Jakarta, which is the capital city of Indonesia. They had a challenging distance of over 1,000km to cover before reaching the endpoint in Lombok.

Even though Alfie and Owen were able to make up for lost time during their journey, they faced a difficult situation upon arriving in Bangsal on the island of Lombok. They soon realized that they needed to take a boat to the tiny island of Gili Meno before they could learn more about how to complete the race.

The couple found out that the island can only be reached by a boat when the sun is up. Thus, they had no choice but to wait for the next day to start their journey.

The postponement enabled Eugenie and Isabel to catch up, and they were right behind Alfie and Owen. The two teams faced each other as they waited for their boats to arrive at Gili Meno.

Alfie expressed his frustration by saying, "I am unable to process this information early in the morning. It seems like we have suffered a loss. I am currently feeling overwhelmed and discouraged."

Regardless, Owen persevered in maintaining a positive attitude: "I don't think that's the right mindset. We haven't thrown in the towel yet. We've demonstrated time and time again that quitting is never a possibility. I understand that keeping a positive mindset can be challenging, but it's exactly what we require at this point in time. We simply need to keep going."

When the sun was rising, both teams made sure that their boats were in a secure position. They emphasized the importance of speed to their respective drivers. Then, the boats left at almost the same time, and the fast-paced competition to get to Gili Meno had begun.

Alfie was resolute as he yelled to his fellow team member: "We must utilize all the knowledge we've gained during our travels since departing from Sapporo almost 50 days ago. This is it, everything has culminated to this moment."

Alfie and Owen were the initial duo to get off the boat and they were directed to go to Masjid Mosque. Although they had unintentionally left their compass in their backpack, they managed to keep their composure and find their way to the temple. They were given more guidance on how to get to the finish line, which was situated on a gorgeous white-sandy shore.

The boys dashed down the sandy coastline and dove into the warm ocean, where they spotted the record book. They were thrilled to learn they had emerged victorious in an unforgettable race, earning them a phenomenal reward of £20,000.

Throughout the eight episodes, the four teams have journeyed a whopping 15,000 kilometers in 50 days, navigating through six different bodies of water and crossing eight international borders. This adventure pushed them beyond their physical and emotional boundaries, but ultimately, they accomplished their goal of traveling from the northernmost part of Japan to the finish line on the breathtaking Indonesian island of Lombok. What's most impressive is that they did all of this without relying on smartphones, internet access, or bank cards - and only carrying the amount of cash equivalent to an airfare ticket.

After the last episode of Race Across the World, the groups will have a touching and enlightening meeting event. The occasion will be shown on BBC One at 10.40pm on Wednesday, 29 May and can be watched right away on BBC iPlayer right after the final episode.

The groups will reflect on their exciting journey, showcasing unseen moments and surprising discoveries. They'll also reveal their preparations for the race, exchange tales about the delicious cuisine they sampled, the communities they met, and the difficulties of traveling.

Make sure to watch all the episodes of Race Across the World available on BBC iPlayer.

The TV show that won a prestigious BAFTA award is currently the most significant fact-based program produced by the BBC this year. The initial two episodes also ranked among the highest-rated episodes across all genres aired by the BBC in 2021. They drew in a whopping 7.1 million viewers, which is close to one million more viewers than last year, and nearly half of the viewers tuned in through the BBC iPlayer. A significant portion of the viewers, about 1.2 million, were between the ages of 16 and 34, which is twice the number of young people who watched the previous series.

Interview With Alfie And Owen

What is the sensation like after emerging victorious in Race Across the World?

Owen expressed that the task was significant. The initial step of starting it was crucial and carrying it out was also essential. Although winning is the main focus, it seems like it's just an extra feature. He admitted that the feeling of winning is hard to comprehend.

Alfie shared that he feels a sense of wholeness after the experience they had. They were able to create amazing memories and unforgettable moments together. It's rare to have the opportunity to do something so unique, especially as the youngest participants. To cap it all off, they even emerged as the winners. Alfie thinks it's simply amazing.

Owen: The icing on the cake!

Can you describe the experience briefly?

Owen finds it challenging but also very satisfying. He describes it as being tough but worth it.

Alfie believes that the most accurate description for it would be "unforgettable."

Who was the first person you informed?

Whenever I entered my house and announced to my parents about my victory in the race, my mother broke down into tears while my father appeared shocked. Additionally, my canine companion seemed joyful as well!

When we returned, I immediately informed my grandmother and uncle about it, and they were astonished. I assume they were aware of the positive indications as I appeared to be cheerier than normal, but they have been yearning to witness it themselves!

What are your intentions with the funds?

Owen: I certainly plan to take my folks on a special outing to show my appreciation for all they've done for me. As for my siblings, I'll also do them a favor by providing some financial assistance, especially my brother who is struggling with an overdraft.

Alfie plans to visit the Caribbean and afterwards, he will have to find a place to live. He expresses that he hopes to handle this responsibility well but jokes that his financial situation may not last through the Summer.