"My fate was sealed" — The Challenge 40 winner Jenny opens up on the karma vote twist

Jenny West, one of the winners of The Challenge 40, reflected on the historic tie with her ally Rachel Robinson. The two contestants made history as the first individuals to share a win in the competition.

In an interview with Parade on January 8, 2025, Jenny discussed the unexpected twist that led to their joint victory. Despite Rachel's impressive performance throughout the season and the final, she struggled with the swimming element, which prevented her from securing top spots.

Jenny admired Rachel's perseverance and hard work, and she believed that the karma vote would ultimately help her ally. The two contestants had adopted a mindset that as long as one of them emerged victorious, they would both be winners. This camaraderie and mutual support enabled them to push through the challenges and ultimately achieve their goal.

"My fate was sealed with the karma vote, and I knew it. But at the same time, I also knew it would be good for Rachel," stated Jenny.

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The Challenge 40 co-winner Rachel Robinson reveals her karma vote strategy

The Challenge 40 women co-winner Rachel Robinson shared in the same interview that she wasn't surprised by the outcome of the karma vote, which ultimately led to her historic tie with Jenny West. As soon as she learned about the karma twist, Rachel felt confident that it would work in her favor. Rachel credited her optimism to her generally positive relationships with other contestants.

She acknowledged that there were some exceptions, particularly those she had sent home, who might have given her low karma scores. However, Rachel believed that her overall goodwill with the other contestants would benefit her. Rachel also shared her strategic assessment of the remaining women contestants, including Jenny, Michele, and Tori.

She observed that Jenny, as a relatively new contestant, might receive moderate karma scores. Additionally, Rachel noted that Jenny's close friendships with her and Johnny meant that she wouldn't receive their karma votes, only Aviv's. In contrast, Rachel perceived Michele and Tori as more like polarizing figures, who elicit strong reactions from other The Challenge 40 stars.

"And I also didn't do this on purpose, but I strategically looked around at the women that were left with me. And I said, 'Well, Jenny, unfortunately, she's kind of like a newbie. People are maybe going to give her maybe middle range," stated Rachel.

Jenny West's impressive performance in the swimming-based final challenge came as a surprise to the fans, given her struggles with cardio-based challenges earlier in the season due to her exercise-induced asthma. When asked about her remarkable turnaround, Jenny attributed it to her intense competitiveness.

"Essentially, it comes down to, I have this switch in my head. I am so competitive. And when it comes to the absolute wire, that's it. Whatever's going on my head, or however I'm feeling in my body, something switches," Jenny shared.

According to Jenny, she has a mental switch that flips when she's pushed to her limits. At that point, her physical limitations and discomfort become secondary to her determination to succeed. She becomes completely focused on giving her absolute best effort, no matter the cost.

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The part 2 finale of The Challenge 40 on January 8, 2025, at 8 pm ET/PT on MTV and Paramount+.