Germany clean up World Luge Championships medals in Innsbruck

BySportsbeat

Updated 28/01/2017 at 16:12 GMT

There were German pairings on every step of the doubles podium at the World Luge Championships in Innsbruck, but it was Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken who had the biggest smiles.

Germany's Toni Eggert (L) and Sascha Benecken celebrate

Image credit: Reuters

This was the first time in history that a single nation achieved a clean sweep of the medals in a doubles race at the World Luge Championships.

But defending champions and Olympic gold medallists Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt had to settle for silver as Eggert and Benecken claimed a first world title.

Eggert and Benecken set a track record of 39.468 seconds on their first run and followed that up with the fastest second run to win in 1:19.005 minutes.

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Wendl and Arlt were 0.206 seconds behind while Robin Johannes Geueke and David Gamm completed the German clean sweep in 1:19.390.

Eggert and Benecken have also won seven of nine World Cup races this season and only at the European Championships on their home track in Koenigssee did they have to play second fiddle to Wendl and Arlt.

The new World champions can also claim victory in the overall standings if they win next weekend’s World Cup in Oberhof.

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