From Lake Placid, USA
(December 19, 2025) – Julia Taubitz came from behind on a windy night in Lake Placid to hold off a trio of American women to take gold.
USA’s Emily Fischnaller was the fifth slider off in the first heat and took the lead ahead of teammate Ashley Farquharson. Taubitz, Merle Fräbel, Lisa Schulte and Summer Britcher all were within a quarter of a second of Fischnaller, making it really anyone’s race.
Britcher took the lead from Austria’s Dorothea Schwarz in the second heat, and then held it as neither Schulte or Fräbel were able to match her second run pace.
Taubitz’s second run looked a bit messy late in her run, but was quick enough where she set the quick run of the race to take the lead from Britcher.
Farquharson was next, and was out-slid by Taubitz as she fell into second with just Fischnaller to go.
Fischnaller started in another brisk wind, but was making ground on Taubitz early. However a few small mistakes in places where Taubitz was quick dropped her behind both the German and her two American teammates and into fourth, giving Taubitz gold, Farquharson silver, and Britcher bronze.
Though not a German track, Taubitz felt comfortable sliding on the Lake Placid ice.
“I really like the track here,” Taubitz told FIL media after the race. “I slide so well here…the weather was really not great, but I slid well and I’m so happy!”
For Farquharson, her silver medal was her second straight medal on tour. And while Park City is her home track, she had a level of comfort in Lake Placid.
“The knowledge of how many runs I’ve had on this track and the different conditions I’ve slid on it make a difference,” she said. “Park City was built so hard, and this one is so notorious, and as Americans we have an advantage and really had to build on that!”
Britcher was happy with her pair of runs on the day.
“My second run was an okay run, both were okay, I had a lot more speed up top in the second run and it was able to carry me through a mistake in chicane. It’s a ton of fun racing, it’s magical racing here in Lake Placid.”
Fischnaller took fourth, Schulte fifth, and Fräbel sixth.
Embyr-Lee Susko led the way for Canada in 16th place, with Trinity Ellis and Caitlin Nash 18th and 20th.
Emma Erickson moved up from 20th in the first heat to finish 16th, while Kaia Hatton finished 29th for Great Britain.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Julia Taubitz | GER | 15 | 6.547 | 6.563 | 44.490 | 44.334 | 1:28.824 |
| 2 | Ashley Farquharson | USA | 9 | 6.547 | 6.556 | 44.478 | 44.478 | 1:28.956 |
| 3 | Summer Britcher | USA | 7 | 6.570 | 6.511 | 44.610 | 44.444 | 1:29.054 |
| 4 | Emily Fischnaller | USA | 5 | 6.538 | 6.558 | 44.467 | 44.604 | 1:29.071 |
| 5 | Lisa Schulte | AUT | 14 | 6.592 | 6.548 | 44.606 | 44.613 | 1:29.219 |
| 6 | Merle Fräbel | GER | 17 | 6.547 | 6.561 | 44.593 | 44.627 | 1:29.220 |
| 7 | Dorothea Schwarz | AUT | 6 | 6.598 | 6.586 | 44.734 | 44.714 | 1:29.448 |
| 8 | Anna Berreiter | GER | 10 | 6.563 | 6.527 | 44.905 | 44.646 | 1:29.551 |
| 9 | Elina Bota | LAT | 21 | 6.540 | 6.532 | 44.796 | 44.788 | 1:29.584 |
| 10 | Verena Hofer | ITA | 11 | 6.546 | 6.531 | 44.812 | 44.843 | 1:29.655 |
| 11 | Natalie Maag | SUI | 16 | 6.586 | 6.591 | 44.722 | 45.056 | 1:29.778 |
| 12 | Sandra Robatscher | ITA | 3 | 6.557 | 6.586 | 44.839 | 44.972 | 1:29.811 |
| 13 | Hannah Prock | AUT | 12 | 6.617 | 6.623 | 44.896 | 44.926 | 1:29.822 |
| 14 | Embyr-Lee Susko | CAN | 19 | 6.607 | 6.568 | 44.960 | 45.145 | 1:30.105 |
| 15 | Nina Zöggeler | ITA | 24 | 6.625 | 6.614 | 45.089 | 45.039 | 1:30.128 |
| 16 | Emma Erickson | USA | 22 | 6.600 | 6.585 | 45.178 | 45.038 | 1:30.216 |
| 17 | Kendija Aparjode | LAT | 13 | 6.571 | 6.568 | 44.788 | 45.437 | 1:30.225 |
| 18 | Trinity Ellis | CAN | 26 | 6.602 | 6.568 | 45.177 | 45.112 | 1:30.289 |
| 19 | Barbara Allmaier | AUT | 8 | 6.634 | 6.681 | 44.997 | 45.300 | 1:30.297 |
| 20 | Caitlin Nash | CAN | 1 | 6.568 | 6.541 | 45.171 | 45.237 | 1:30.408 |
| 21 | Daria Olesik | AIN | 2 | 6.560 | 45.195 | |||
| 22 | Zane Kaluma | LAT | 4 | 6.575 | 45.232 | |||
| 23 | Tove Kohala | SWE | 18 | 6.608 | 45.280 | |||
| 24 | Veronica Ravenna | ARG | 25 | 6.727 | 45.397 | |||
| 25 | Olena Smaha | UKR | 29 | 6.606 | 45.575 | |||
| 26 | Yulianna Tunytska | UKR | 28 | 6.595 | 45.750 | |||
| 27 | Ioana-Corina Buzatoiu | ROU | 27 | 6.610 | 45.869 | |||
| 28 | Margita Sirsnina | LAT | 23 | 6.650 | 45.907 | |||
| 29 | Kaia Hatton | GBR | 30 | 6.704 | 45.911 | |||
| DNF | Anka Jaenicke | GER | 20 | 6.600 | DNF |