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Rachel LaMont won Survivor 47 on December 19, 2024, securing a 7-1-0 victory at the final Tribal Council against Sam Phalen and Sue Smey. The win earned her the million-dollar prize after 26 days of competition against fifteen other players. Host Jeff Probst called her performance one of the strongest in the show's history during the post-finale interviews.
“I think Rachel will go down as one of the best overall players to ever compete on Survivor. She made the most of every opportunity, and when in trouble, always found a way out,” said Probst.
In Survivor 47, LaMont accumulated four individual immunity challenge wins, matching the record held by Kelly Wiglesworth, Jenna Morasca, Kim Spradlin, and Chrissy Hofbeck. She managed tribal council dynamics through strategic idol usage and formed key alliances leading to the finale.
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Survivor 47 host Jeff Probst rates Rachel LaMont among franchise's best
Survivor 47 host Jeff Probst highlighted LaMont's consistent performance throughout the season during the post-finale discussion. Probst emphasized her ability to maintain strong game awareness while executing crucial moves at optimal moments. He specifically noted her performance in tribal councils and her tactical approach to using advantages.
“Her final argument to the jury about why she deserved their vote was very well-crafted with just the right amount of confidence and humility. And in addition to all of those player qualities, she was also a really fun human. I enjoyed talking to her at challenges and Tribal Council.”
The Survivor 47 host further went on to detail his observations of the final Tribal Council dynamics, particularly focusing on the debate between LaMont and Sam Phalen. His exact words were,
“I came into final Tribal thinking Rachel probably had the upper hand given the momentum she was riding over the last few days. But as we settled into it and Sam started making his case, I found myself leaning in more and more, shifting in my seat as I realized this is not a done deal.”
And describing the new element, he stated,
“What makes these new-era final Tribal Councils so fun is the jury. Today’s Survivor player takes agency over their vote. They are no longer persuaded by groupthink, which often happened in earlier seasons.”
He continued,
“So while one person may think Rachel’s game dominated and therefore she deserves to win, another jury member might see Sam’s scrappy play from the bottom as the more noteworthy game.”
Final episode performance
The final episode saw LaMont dominate a multi-stage immunity challenge, completing a critical puzzle section to secure her position in the final three. After winning immunity, she opted to keep herself safe and put Sam Phalen and Teeny Chirichillo into the fire-making challenge.
The Survivor 47 finale turned dramatic when wind conditions affected the flames, ultimately resulting in Phalen's victory and Chirichillo's elimination.
The jury voting resulted in seven votes for LaMont, with Kyle Ostwald casting the sole vote for Phalen. Sue Smey, who revealed her age as 59 during the finale, finished without receiving any votes.
Behind the victory
LaMont's triumph started taking shape a year before her win. After serving as an alternate for Season 46, she returned for Season 47 with enhanced preparation. Her challenge performance statistics stood out as she secured four individual immunity wins.
During the final tribal council in Survivor 47, she responded to Gabe's opening question by focusing strictly on her in-game accomplishments.
The jury voting revealed strong support for her gameplay methods. When facing Andy's questions about her immunity streak, she explained her tactical decisions between competitions. The dramatic fire-making challenge preceded her victory, where Sam's comeback against Teeny set up the final configuration.
LaMont's win adds her name to the list of champions who secured victory through multiple immunity wins. The final vote count of 7-1-0 confirmed the jury's recognition of her complete game performance across 26 days of Survivor 47.
Fans can watch Survivor 47 finale online on CBS.
