The Spin Cycle is a name given to different obstacles: one used in the Wipeout Zone of Season 3 and another used in the Qualifier of Season 8 (TBS Season 1).
Season 3[]
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Season 3's Spin Cycle
The first version of the Spin Cycle appeared as the second obstacle in the Wipeout Zone of Season 3, replacing both the Raging Rapids and the Gears of Doom from the previous season. It was interchanged with the Gut Busters throughout the season.
It is a huge rotating 30-foot circular tall foamy drum that contestants must go for a ride in and time their jump out onto the exit platform. The drum slows down the longer they’re in it and has evenly spaced supports around the inside edges and three pillars in the center. If it loses foam, more is pumped in from two pipes placed above it.
There are two ways to beat this obstacle:
- If they decide to use the energy, they must hold onto one of the side supports and ride the drum around the top.
- If they’re forced to outrun the drum, they must run quickly across the bottom.
It had a couple of variations:
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Season 3's Spin Cycle (with molten lava)
- In episode 15, the drum was filled with molten lava.
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Season 3's Spin Cycle (with hundreds of balls)
- In episode 17, the drum was filled with hundreds of balls.
Most contestants lost valuable time due to either losing their footing in the drum or failing to time their jump out right, leading them to either quit their runs or time out, which is what happened to Sean Foster, Michael White, Raymond Ohrel, and Ryan Gahagan in episodes 8, 10, 14, and 17 respectively.
A total of nineteen contestants cleared this obstacle on their first attempt with two 100% rates from episodes 5 and 12:
- Scott Jones (S3E1)
- Arielle Valdez (S3E1)
- James Runcorn (S3E4)
- Jill Facer (S3E4)
- Quan Pham (S3E5)
- Shawn Hughes (S3E5)
- John Rogers (S3E5)
- Aben Vincent (S3E5)
- Caroline Lee (S3E8)
- David Hutchison (S3E10)
- Carrie Kiker (S3E10)
- Tom Cardiff (S3E12)
- Marie Ramirez (S3E12)
- Jamie Cardiff (S3E12)
- David Brummel (S3E14)
- Holly George (S3E15)
- Brie Carter (S3E17)
- Tesara Liggins (S3E17)
- Rimal Patel (S3E17)
Coincidentally, eight of them later won their respective episodes.
It was replaced by the Icy Stairway from Hell in Winter Wipeout of the next season.
Season 8[]
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Season 8's Spin Cycle
The second version of the Spin Cycle appeared as the second obstacle in the Qualifier during episodes 13, 15, 18, and 20 of Season 8 (TBS Season 1), replacing both Rumble Road and Ding Dong Damage from episodes 11, 12, 14, 17, and 19 respectively.
It is a similar obstacle to the Snow Blower (which used as the first obstacle in the Qualifier during episode 8 of Season 4's Winter Wipeout) and the Lawnmowers (which was used as the first obstacle in the Qualifier during episode 3 of Season 4's Summer Wipeout).
It is two spinning three-pronged blades with pictures of John Cena and Nicole Byer above an unstable trampoline walkway either being showered by foam or pelted with dodgeballs that contestants must run through without being smacked into the mud.
Only two contestants from episodes 13 and 20 cleared this obstacle.