Original Airdate: December 7, 2005

In the season finale, Bre, Nik, and Nicole shot a Covergirl commercial and stills. While Nik’s strong performance was an improvement from her previous showing in the Secret shoot, both Bre and Nicole struggled. Nik was chosen first to continue on in the final round, and then Nicole was chosen over Bre, who became the eleventh girl to get sent home.

Nik and Nicole then shot a magazine cover with Tyra Banks, photographed by Gilles Bensimon, knowing that the winner’s cover would be published in the February 2006 issue of Elle Girl magazine. They then competed in the final runway competition, in which previous Top Model winners Eva Pigford and Naima Mora, and a medley of other Top Model contestants, both from Cycle 5 and from previous cycles, participated. At the final elimination panel, the judges favored Nicole’s final performance over Nik’s, both in the final runway challenge and throughout the competitions, and subsequently Nicole was selected to be the fifth winner of America’s Next Top Model.

• Bottom two: Bre Scullark & Nicole Linkletter
• Eliminated: Bre Scullark
• Final two: Nicole Linkletter & Nik Pace
• America’s Next Top Model: Nicole Linkletter
• Special guest(s): Eva Pigford, Naima Mora

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