From left, Team USA’s Ashley Farquharson, Germany’s Julia Taubitz and Team USA’s Emily Sweeney react after finding out that they all medaled during the FIL luge World Cup in Lake Placid on Dec. 9. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)

LAKE PLACID — On an emotional final day of the FIL Luge World Cup in Lake Placid on Saturday, the U.S. women closed out their successful weekend with three medals in the sprint division races.

Sprint races feature the top 15 athletes in each discipline based on their finish in the World Cup races, with the time for the single-heat sprint races beginning at a lower point on the track than traditional races, placing an emphasis on driving skill over speed at the start. Instead of a start time, initial velocities are displayed. Points earned during the sprint races count toward overall World Cup points.

USA Luge recorded five total medals across the weekend, including a gold in men’s doubles on Friday and a bronze in women’s singles on Saturday morning.

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Women’s singles sprint

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After missing out on a podium a few hours beforehand, Team USA’s Ashley Farquharson came ready to slide in the women’s singles sprint competition.

Farquharson, of Park City, Utah, earned her second World Cup medal sliding to a silver in a time of 37.550 seconds — she previously won a silver in the World Cup team relay in Beijing, China in 2021. American teammate Emily Sweeney of Lake Placid earned a bronze medal in 37.565. Germany’s Julia Taubitz won the race in 37.451.

“I was feeling like I had a lot of speed in the first race, and I knew if I could lay down nice run, it would be there for me,” Farquharson said. “Especially because I don’t have a stronger start. I was really proud of myself that I was able to throw it down and make it clean out here.”

Sweeney, who earned her eight career World Cup medal, said she was a little bit suprised with her third place results.

“I was definitely disappointed in the first race,” she said. “My performance was definitely not where I wanted it, so I’m really happy that I could walk away with a medal of some sort. I’m feeling grateful.”

Team USA’s Summer Britcher of Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, landed in fifth with a time of 37.622. Emma Erickson of Park City did not qualify to compete.

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Women’s doubles sprint

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Racing in their first-ever World Cup in Lake Placid this past weekend, the American duo of Chevonne Forgan and Sophie Kirkby took the silver medal in the women’s doubles sprint competition.

Forgan, of Chelmsford, Massachussetts, and Kirkby, of Ray Brook, executed a clean run in a time of 38.443, in front of a crowd of family and friends.

“It feels great to be here on the home track in Lake Placid,” Kirkby said. “Having all of these family and friends and local fans coming out it was really a great feeling to win that silver medal in front of everyone cheering for us.”

After finishing in fourth place in the women’s double race on Friday, Kirkby said this was definitely their best race this weekend.

“We definitely had our best run today,” Forgan said. “First race of the season yesterday, there were some jitters and nerves, and we got it all out of the way. We felt really relaxed and put out a good run.”

Austria’s Selina Egle and Lara Kipp secured the gold in a time of 38.340, with Dajana Eitberger and Saskia Schirmer of Germany in third in 38.477.

Americans Maya Chan of Chicago, Illinois and Reannyn Weiler of Whitesboro placed sixth in 38.806.

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Men’s singles sprint

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In U.S. luge Olympian Chris Mazdzer’s final competitive luge race, the U.S. men didn’t have their strongest showing in the men’s singles sprint event.

Jonny Gustafson of Massena led the U.S. men, placing ninth in a time of 33.765. Tucker West of Ridgefield, Connecticut landed in 12th in 34.046, and Mazdzer, formerly of Saranac Lake and now lives in Salt Lake City, placed 13th in 34.107. Hunter Harris of East Fairfield, Vermont, was 15th in 34.203.

Germany’s Max Langenhan won gold in a time of 33.257, while German teammate Felix Loch in second in 33.560. Austria’s Nico Gleirscher was third in 33.595.

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Men’s doubles sprint

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Latvia’s Martins Bots and Robert Plume won the men’s doubles sprint event, finishing in 37.872. Austria’s Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl were second in 37.877 and Germany’s Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt placed third in 38.019.

After winning their first-ever World Cup medal on Friday, the U.S. men’s doubles team of Zack DiGregorio of Medway, Massachusetts and Sean Hollander of Lake Placid placed sixth in the men’s doubles sprint event in 38.094. Team USA’s Dana Kellog of Chesterfield, Massachusetts, and Frank Ike of Lititz, Pennsylvania, was 11th in 38.463.