The Greatest Female Players in Challenge History: #14- Paula Meronek
10 Seasons: The Duel, Inferno 3 (Final), Gauntlet III (Final), The Island (Final), Duel II, Fresh Meat II, Cutthroat, Rivals (Win), Battle of the Exes, Rivals II (Win)
Final Efficiency: 5/10 (50%)
Win Efficiency: 2/10 (20%)
30 Mission Wins, 5–5 Elimination Record
Individual Missions: 1/11 (9.1%)
Partner Missions: 10/38 (26.3%)
Combined: 11/49 (22.4%)
Average Times Voted In Per Season: .78
Seasons Making Final Going Into Minimum Amount of Elims: 2
Arguably the biggest female character through the middle ages of the show, Paula Walnuts also was a strong competitor for the entirety of her career, making the second-most amount of finals for a female in Challenge history with five.
Paula showed fight in her Pole Wrestle elimination loss to Aneesa on The Duel, but emerged on Inferno 3 as arguably the best female competitor on the Good Guys.
She won the Life Shield in the Giraffic Park mission to force Susie to finally go into the Inferno, then she once again faced Aneesa in elimination, this time taking her out in Shimmy to reach the finals.
Paula earned her way to the finals on Gauntlet III by beating Katie in Sliders, but she was robbed of her first victory when Eric collapsed in the final.
On The Island, Paula teamed with Kenny, Johnny, Derrick, Dunbar and Johanna, as their alliance dominated the entire game. She won her key in the Ball Buster face-off with Dunbar as her partner, and reached her third consecutive final.
But she was infamously left off the final boat with Kenny, Johnny and Derrick, as Evelyn took the fourth spot and Paula was left with Ryan, Jenn and Robin.
The Island kind of broke Paula mentally for awhile.
She made a horrendous political decision on Duel II, choosing Dunbar when she was supposed to pick MJ in the second vote, causing Evan to cut her out of his alliance.
She was living on borrowed time for most of the rest of the game, finally running into (you guessed it) Aneesa in elimination, where Paula lost in Back Off.
Paula was one of the first casualties in the Kenny vs. Wes war on Fresh Meat II, as she and her legendary partner Jeff Barr were sent in by the house to face Evelyn/Luke. Evelyn beat Paula in exile, but her continued rivalry with Evelyn would serve Paula well in the future.
Drafted onto the red team on Cutthroat, Paula was set up well on a team of veterans, including her longtime frenemy Dunbar and Key West castmate Tyler. She made it all the way until the final elimination before having to go in, where Emily took her out in Pole Me Over.
After seven seasons, Paula was finally given her best chance to win on Rivals.
Paired with the best female of all time (at the time at least) in Evelyn, and in a house where both of them were surrounded by friends, Paula/Evelyn would have basically had a free ride to the finals — except they screwed up the first mission and had to go into the Jungle. They of course faced Aneesa (and Robin), defeating them in Hands On.
They went on to win four missions (including two on female elimination days) and defeated Laurel/Cara and Jenn/Mandi in the final, as Paula finally secured her first victory.
Paula not only competed well on the season and was the clear best “number two partner” ahead of Cara Maria, but she also made the best political move of her career, pushing to send Camila/Theresa in against Laurel/Cara Maria at the second elimination. The move ensured that one of the two biggest threats in the game would go home, as Camila/Theresa were sent packing.
On Battle of the Exes, Paula and Dunbar were quietly a strong team, winning the Power Couple once and defeating Rachel/Aneesa in elimination, as Paula pushed her all-time record against Aneesa to 3–2.
Paula/Dunbar were so threatening that Diem decided to throw them into elimination against the powerhouses Ty/Emily instead of Johnny/Camila or Mark/Robin, as Diem believed that Paula/Dunbar was the team most built for a final.
Ty/Emily defeated Paula/Dunbar in Hall Pass, but it helped set up a rivalry for Paula with another Challenge legend.
When Paula was partnered with Emily on Rivals II, it was basically a foregone conclusion that they would be winning the season, as they were head and shoulders above the rest of the cast. And though they got some resistance from Cara/Cooke at the end, Paula/Emily had arguably the most dominant season in Challenge history, winning 6/10 missions and never seeing an elimination. Paula retired with her second victory.
Paula’s legacy is certainly bolstered by the amount of seasons she did (only Cara, Aneesa, Veronica and Nany have been on more regular Challenges), and her victories came when she was partnered with two of the greatest female competitors in Challenge history.
But Paula was one of the best long distance runners in the history of the show, one of the best eaters, was above-average in missions and was almost always in dominant alliances.
Her prolonged run as one of the top female players earns her a spot right outside my top 10.
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