Skiers Miller and Leskinen dominate TV’s Superstars

American ski racing icon Bode Miller was back in action last night in the fifth episode of sports reality TV show “The Superstars” on ABC. Miller and teammate Paige Hemmis, best known as the pink-clad designer on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” managed to make it through four episodes and into the final four.  

Also in the hunt was freeskier Kristi Leskinen and teammate Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a Russian born professional dancer.

The show, set in the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, put the contestants through three athletic contests in an all out effort to avoid elimination.

American ski racing icon Bode Miller was back in action last night in the fifth episode of sports reality TV show “The Superstars” on ABC. Miller and teammate Paige Hemmis, best known as the pink-clad designer on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” managed to make it through four episodes and into the final four.  

Also in the hunt was freeskier Kristi Leskinen and teammate Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a Russian born professional dancer.

The show, set in the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, put the contestants through three athletic contests in an all out effort to avoid elimination.

The teams were first challenged in a personal watercraft race. Miller utilized his skiing skills to make some tight turns around buoys on an aquatic slalom course, winning the first heat. Leskinen made up some great time catching WNBA star Lisa Leslie on the final straightaway and advancing to the winner’s race against Miller and Hemmis. But, yet again, Miller was too strong and gave his team a convincing win in the day’s first event.

The next challenge tested the competitor’s archery skills. Lskinen proved to be a true Robin Hood fan hitting all five targets and racking up 30 points. Hemmis and Miller also looked strong, each hitting all their targets to collect 60 points, prompting a little trash talk from the World Cup star. In the end it was the two skiers’ teams tied in first place for the event, but Miller and Hemmis took the day’s lead through two of three events.
 
The final competition of the day was a race up an artificial rock-climbing course. Lskinen and Chmerkovskiy won the first heat. Miller shot up his course but Hemmis struggled and lost by half a second to Julio Iglesias Jr. Lskinen and Chmerkovskiy won the winners’ race ensuring a birth in next week’s finals.

Soccer star Brandi Chastain and Iglesias faced off with Miller and Hemmis in an another round of sudden death archery called the “Ruber Match” to decide who would go to the obstacle course and possible elimination. After grazing the target in an earlier attempt, Miller finally made contact with the target to ensure his team was headed to the final next week to possible defend his 2002 title.

Chastain and Iglesias were eliminated in the final obstacle course and were sent packing.

The Superstars airs Tuesday nights on ABC.