And then there was the infamous final endurance challenge, in which Richard, Kelly and Rudy had to stand and keep their hands on a pole until two gave up.

This time, 10 pillars are set up in a stream. Each tribe member has to swim out and stand up on the pole -- and whoever stays on their pole the longest wins.

There are apparently no bathroom breaks.

Nick drops off first. He's not worried about getting dumped, and he says he'd been sick.

After a while he's joined by Colby, and then Rodger, and then Jeff. The men seem to have the women doing the dirty work.

What a bunch of pussies.

Colby tells us later that he's trying to "make the Kucha guys mad" and draw attention away from Jerri and Keith.

Hmmmm -- that's a plan just crazy enough to work!

After four hours, Jeff Probst, Benevolent King of all the Koalas, appears to entice people off their poles with food -- peanut butter and apples, then hot chocolate and coffee.

At seven hours, he comes back with ice cream and chocolate. Jerri and Amber, her little shadow, scamper down immediately.

The scene is now becoming surreal. Alicia, Elisabeth, Tina and Keith stand on the posts for six hours, seven hours, eight hours. It's an impressive feat of endurance.

"I've never seen anything like it!" says Colby. We haven't either.

It's dark and getting cold. After eight-and-a-half hours, Elisabeth, now a shivering little doobie, asks Jeff if any other deals were being offered.

How about a boat ride back? she asks.

He paddles out and brings her in.

More time goes by. Keith, Alicia and Tina remain.

Dingo Jeff paddles back out with hot chocolate. Alicia caves.

Keith turns to Tina. "I need this," he says.

Tina gets down. Keith raises his arms in triumph.

He's stood there for 10 hours and 17 minutes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Time for the tribal council.

Probst tries to probe some pressure points.

Alicia says she jumped down finally because "I don't think it's gonna change what's gonna happen."

Keith is gracious toward Tina. "Tina gave it to me," he says warmly. "I firmly believe if she didn't go that we'd still be there. She's my sister. It was definitely a gift."

Tina says, "I'm still a team player; Keith needed this."

Finally, the vote.

We don't see what Colby votes for, but he says, "This is a strategic move determined the first week we were here." It's not clear what he means.

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