Recap: Nolte leads the first two-woman heats, Meyers Taylor third

TWO-WOMAN BOBSLED: HEATS 1 AND 2

AT THE MIDPOINT: 

WATCH FULL EVENT REPLAY: HEATS 1 AND 2 | SEE FULL RESULTS

It's going to be a nail-biter, but Germany is definitely in command at the halfway mark of two-woman bobsled. 

The first portion of the bobsled race saw Germany's Laura Nolte blast the fastest two heats for a 2:02.05-minute total. Her half-minute lead may be impossible to beat. 

Meanwhile, the event's defending gold medalist Mariama Jamanka sped to a somewhat surprising second standing following mixed results at the most recent world cup series, plus a poor performance in Olympic monobob. 

Elana Meyers Taylor, the American monobob silver medalist, received a special surprise just ahead of her runs — and landed firmly in third at the midpoint.

Team USA's monobob gold medalist Kaillie Humphries dropped to fifth standing at the midpoint with two slightly flawed runs, and will have to fight her way to the podium. 

This story is developing ... 

SEE MORE: BREAKING: Elana Meyers Taylor elected Team USA's Closing Ceremony flagbearer