Last season I was fascinated with finding out the history of people running finals for the first time, and what the win ratio. I collected the data here:

In it I found that the veteran final runner almost always wins against the person running their first final. Through tracking it, I found in recent seasons the scarcity of female Champions who consistently competed. Yes, Cara Maria, Laurel, and Sarah are Champions who combined for 24 appearances, but it wasn’t until Cara and Sarah’s 8th appearance, and Laurel’s 4th, that they actually won. With the focus of Invasion being Champions vs Underdog, I decided to look through at all the season from Dirty 30 to Fresh Meat 1 (beginning of the pairs era), and see what season has had the most titles and accolades.

I created a gathering of “preseason” stats. This means, how many wins and final appearances did people on the cast have beforehand. I also do a “postseason” stat-line, in which I take the cast, and I adjust the total amount of wins and final appearances for what the person ended up doing in future appearances. Johnny Bananas may have went home first on the Duel 1, but his 6 wins and 8 finals appearance go towards the Duel’s postseason stats.

It will be expressed in example for Kenny’s 3 wins and 7 final appearances as: Kenny (3/7). Wes’s 2 wins and finals is Wes (2/4), and so on.

Here were the most interesting facts that I gathered:

Before Invasion, the last season to have more than two returning female Champs was the Ruins.

Top three seasons in Preseason Wins are Dirty 30 (22), the Ruins (22), and Invasion (18)

Bottom three season in Preseason Wins are The Duel 1 (2), Battle of the Seasons (3), and Inferno 3 (5)

Biggest gains in Wins are Gauntlet 3 (+26), The Duel 1 (25), and Inferno 3 (+24)

Of the total wins between Invasion and Dirty 30, Bananas and Darrell own 25% of them.

Neither Fresh Meat 1 or Fresh Meat 2 are the bottom of Preseason Wins and Finals, despite only having half a cast of veterans.

The men on the Duel 1 ended up creating an incredible force that still somewhat dominates the game today. All the while nobody had a win going in. At the end of the day, 9/10 guys from the Duel 1 went on to win a Challenge.

Dirty 30: 22 Challenge Wins, 48 Finals

Pre: Bananas (6/8), Darrell (4/4), Derrick (3/4), Veronica (3/4), CT (2/6), Cara Maria (1/4) Camila (1/3), Jordan (1/2), Ashley (1/1), Jenna (0/3), Cory (0/2), LeRoy (0/2), Aneesa (0/2), Jemmye (0/1)

Invasion of the Champions (preseason): 16 Challenge Wins, 34 Finals

Invasion of the Champions (postseason): 18 Challenge Wins, 40 Finals

Pre: Bananas (6/8), Darrell (4/4), CT (1/5), Laurel (1/4), Cara Maria (1/4), Camila (1/3), Zach (1/2), Ashley K (1/1), Jenna (0/3), Cory (0/1)

Post: CT (2/6), Camila (1/3) Ashley (1/1), Cory (0/2), Nelson (0/1), Nicole (0/1)

Rivals 3 (preseason): 10 Challenge Wins, 26 Finals

Rivals 3 (postseason): 13 Challenge Wins, 36 Finals

Pre: Bananas (5/7), Wes (2/4), Sarah (1/4) Camila (1/2), Jamie (1/1), Jenna (0/2), LeRoy (0/2), KellyAnne (0/1), Nany (0/1), Cory (0/1), Reilly (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), Sarah (2/5), Ashley (1/1), Camila (1/3), Jenna (0/3), Cory (0/2), Vince (0/1), Devin (0/1), Cheyenne (0/1), Nelson (0/1)

Bloodlines (preseason): 8 Challenge Wins, 23 Finals

Bloodlines (postseason): 11 Challenge Wins, 34 Finals

Pre: Bananas (5/7), Abram (2/4), Camila (1/2), Cara Maria (0/3), Aneesa (0/2), LeRoy (0/2), Nany (0/1), KellyAnne (0/1), Jenna (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), Cara Maria (1/4), Camila (1/3), Jamie (1/1), Jenna (0/3), Cory (0/2), Mitch (0/1), Brianna (0/1), Vince (0/1)

Battle of the Exes 2 (preseason): 9 Challenge Wins, 28 Finals

Battle of the Exes 2 (postseason): 14 Challenge Wins, 39 Finals

Pre: Bananas (5/7), Wes (2/4), CT (1/5), Zach (1/2), Sarah (0/3), Diem (0/2), Jordan (0/1), LeRoy (0/1), Reilly (0/1), Jemmye (0/1), Nany (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), CT (2/6), Sarah (2/5), Jordan (1/2), Jenna (0/3), LeRoy (0/2), Theresa (0/1), Jay (0/1),

Free Agents (preseason): 8 Challenge Wins, 30 Finals

Free Agents (postseason): 14 Challenge Wins, 43 Finals

Pre: Bananas (4/6), CT (1/5), Frank (1/2), Camila (1/2), Zach (1/1), Laurel (0/3), Cara Maria (0/3), Aneesa (0/2), LeRoy (0/1), Jordan (0/1), Dustin (0/1), Chet (0/1), Devyn (0/1), Jemmye (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), CT (2/6), Laurel (1/4), Cara Maria (1/4), Camila (1/3), Jordan (1/2), Zach (1/2), LeRoy (0/2), Devyn (0/2), Reilly (0/1), Theresa (0/1), Nany (0/1)

Rivals 2 (preseason): 10 Challenge Wins, 34 Finals

Rivals 2 (postseason): 21 Challenge Wins, 58 Finals

Pre: Bananas (4/5), Paula (1/4), Wes (1/3), Frank (1/1), Zach (1/1), Camila (1/1), Dunbar (1/1), CT (0/4), Sarah (0/3), Emily (0/2), Cara Maria (0/2), Aneesa (0/2), Diem (0/2), Trishelle (0/1), LeRoy (0/1), Ty (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), CT (2/6), Sarah (2/5), Paula (2/5), Wes (2/4), Cara Maria (1/4), Emily (1/3), Camila (1/3), Jordan (1/2), Frank (1/2), Zach (1/2), LeRoy (0/2), Theresa (0/1), Nany (0/1), Jemmye (0/1), Marlon (0/1), Cooke (0/1)

Battle of the Seasons (preseason): 3 Challenge Wins, 12 Finals

Battle of the Seasons (postseason): 11 Challenge Wins, 33 Finals

Pre: Wes (1/3), Alton (1/3), Camila (1/1), Sarah (0/2), Cara Maria (0/2), Big Easy (0/1)

Post: Sarah (2/5), Wes (2/4), Cara Maria (1/4), Camila (1/3), Frank (1/2), Zach (1/2), Ashley K (1/1), Sam (1/1), Devyn (0/2), Dustin (0/1), Chet (0/1), JD (0/1), Trishelle (0/1), Nany (0/1)

Battle of the Exes 1(preseason): 12 Challenge Wins, 38 Finals

Battle of the Exes 1 (postseason): 24 Challenge Wins, 61 Finals

Pre: Bananas (3/4), Abram (2/4), Mark (2/4), Rachel (2/3), Paula (1/4), Wes (1/3), Dunbar (1/1), CT (0/3), Aneesa (0/2), Robin (0/2), Sarah (0/2), Cara Maria (0/2), LeRoy (0/1), Diem (0/1), Mandi (0/1), Emily (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), CT (2/6), Sarah (2/5), Paula (2/5), Wes (2/4), Cara Maria (1/4), Emily (1/3), Camila (1/3), Diem (0/2), LeRoy (0/2), Dustin (0/1), Ty (0/1)

Rivals 1 (preseason): 12 Challenge Wins, 38 Finals

Rivals 1 (postseason): 28 Challenge Wins, 70 Finals

Pre: Kenny (3/6), Evan (2/3), Bananas (2/3), Evelyn (2/3), Wes (1/2), Tyler (1/1), Nehemiah (1/1), CT (0/3), Paula (0/3), Jenn (0/3), Aneesa (0/2), Laurel (0/2), Robin (0/2), Sarah (0/2), Cara Maria (0/1), Adam K (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), Kenny (3/7), Evelyn (3/4), CT (2/6), Paula (2/5), Sarah (2/5), Wes (2/4), Tyler (2/2), Laurel (1/4), Cara Maria (1/4), Camila (1/3), Jenn (0/4), LeRoy (0/2), Mike (0/1), Mandi (0/1), Theresa (0/1), Ty (0/1)

Cutthroat (preseason): 9 Challenge Wins, 24 Finals

Cutthroat (postseason): 25 Challenge Wins, 61 Finals

Pre: Derrick (3/4), Abram (2/3), Bananas (2/3), Katie (1/2), Tori (1/1), Brad (0/3), Paula (0/3), Jenn (0/2), Laurel (0/1), Big Easy (0/1), Sarah (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), Sarah (2/5), Paula (2/5), Tori (2/2), Tyler (2/2), Brad (1/4), Laurel (1/4), Cara Maria (1/4), Emily (1/3), Camila (1/3), Dunbar (1/1), Jenn (0/4), Theresa (0/1), Ty (0/1), Chet (0/1), Luke (0/1), JD (0/1), Mandi (0/1)

Fresh Meat 2 (preseason): 13 Challenge Wins, 23 Finals

Fresh Meat 2 (postseason): 21 Challenge Wins, 51 Finals

Pre: Darrel (4/4), Kenny (3/5), Evelyn (2/3), Landon (2/2), Wes (1/2), Jill (1/1), Paula (0/3), Jenn (0/1), Ryan (0/1), Sarah (0/1)

Post: Kenny (3/7), Evelyn (3/4), Landon (3/3), Sarah (2/5), Paula (2/5), Wes (2/4), Laurel (1/4), Cara Maria (1/4), Jill (1/2), Carley (1/1), Jenn (0/4), Pete (0/1), Noor (0/1), Mandi (0/1), Theresa (0/1), Luke (0/1)

The Ruins (preseason): 22 Challenge Wins, 41 Finals

The Ruins (postseason): 37 Challenge Wins, 66 Finals

Pre: Darrell (4/4), Veronica (3/4), Kenny (2/4), Evelyn (2/3), Derrick (2/3), Susie (1/3), Evan (1/2), Wes (1/2), Bananas (1/2), Syrus (1/2), Katie (1/2), Tonya (1/2), Ibis (1/1), Johanna (1/1), Brad (0/3), Casey (0/1), Adam K (0/1), Diem (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), Kenny (3/7), Derrick (3/4), Evelyn (3/4), Sarah (2/5), Wes (2/4), Susie (2/4), Evan (2/3), Brad (1/4), Dunbar (1/1), Diem (0/2), KellyAnne (0/1), Chet (0/1)

Duel 2 (preseason): 9 Challenge Wins, 30 Finals

Duel 2 (postseason): 20 Challenge Wins, 49 Finals

Pre: Mark (2/3), Landon (2/2), Rachel (1/2), Katie (1/2), Tori (1/1), MJ (1/1), Nehemiah (1/1), CT (0/3), Paula (0/3), Brad (0/2), Robin (0/2), Evan (0/1), Big Easy (0/1), Adam K (0/1), Diem (0/1), Aneesa (0/1), Ruthie (0/1), Jenn (0/1), Ryan (0/1)

Post: Landon (3/3), CT (2/6), Paula (2/5), Rachel (2/3), Mark (2/4), Evan (2/3), Tori (2/2), Brad (1/4), Dunbar (1/1), Jenn (0/4), Aneesa (0/2), Diem (0/2), Brittini (0/1)

The Island (preseason): 8 Challenge Wins, 20 Finals

The Island (postseason): 24 Challenge Wins, 47 Finals

Pre: Abram (2/3), Kenny (1/3), Evelyn (1/2), Rachel (1/2), Derrick (1/2), Tonya (1/2), Johanna (1/1), Paula (0/2), Robin (0/2), Bananas (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), Kenny (3/7), Evelyn (3/4), Derrick (3/4), Paula (2/5), Abram (2/4), Rachel (2/3), Dunbar (1/1), Jenn (0/4), Ryan (0/1), KellyAnne (0/1)

The Gauntlet 3 (preseason): 6 Challenge Wins, 18 Finals

The Gauntlet 3 (postseason): 32 Challenge Wins, 62 Finals

Pre: Coral (1/4), Katie (1/2), Kenny (1/2), Evelyn (1/1), Janelle (1/1), MJ (1/1), CT (0/2), Paula (0/1), Bananas (0/1), Casey (0/1), Robin (0/1), Brad (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), Kenny (3/7), Evelyn (3/4), CT (2/6), Paula (2/5), Evan (2/3), Tori (2/2), Tyler (2/2), Brad (1/4), Jill (1/2), Frank (1/1), Nehemiah (1/1), Johanna (1/1), Rachel M (1/1), Diem (0/2), Robin (0/2), Ryan (0/1), Big Easy (0/1), Adam K (0/1)

The Inferno 3 (preseason): 5 Challenge Wins, 16 Finals

The Inferno 3 (postseason): 29 Challenge Wins, 61 Finals

Pre: Timmy (1/3), Abram (1/2), Alton (1/2), Susie (1/2), Cara Z (1/1), CT (0/2), Derrick (0/1), Tonya (0/1), Kenny (0/1), Aneesa (0/10

Post: Bananas (6/8), Kenny (3/7), Derrick (3/4), Evelyn (3/4), CT (2/6), Paula (2/5), Abram (2/4), Susie (2/4), Alton (1/3), Tonya (1/2), Cara Z (1/2), Rachel M (1/1),Janelle (1/1), Jenn (0/4), Aneesa (0/2), Ace (0/1)

The Duel 1 (preseason): 2 Challenge Wins, 12 Finals

The Duel 1 (postseason): 27 Challenge Wins, 54 Finals

Pre: Jodi (1/1), Kina (1/1), Tina (0/2), CT (0/2), Derrick (0/1), Wes (0/1), Kenny (0/1), Casey (0/1), Aneesa (0/1), Robin (0/1)

Post: Bananas (6/8), Kenny (3/7), Derrick (3/4), CT (2/6), Paula (2/5), Wes (2/4), Evan (2/3), Tyler (2/2), Jodi (2/2), Brad (1/4), Nehemiah (1/1), Robin (0/2), Aneesa (0/2), Diem (0/2), Big Easy (0/1), Svetlana (0/1),

Fresh Meat 1 (preseason): 7 Challenge Wins, 16 Finals

Fresh Meat 1 (postseason): 24 Challenge Wins, 46 Finals

Pre: Darrell (3/3), Theo (2/3), Coral (1/4), Katie (1/2), Derrick (0/1), Tonya (0/1), Tina (0/1)

Post: Darrell (4/4), Kenny (3/7), Derrick (3/4), Evelyn (3/4), Wes (2/4), Evan (2/3), Tonya (1/2), Johanna (1/1), Aviv (1/1), Tina (0/2), Diem (0/2), Big Easy (0/1), Ryan (0/1), Casey (0/1)