Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt close in on record for Luge World Cup double victories

The ‘Bayern-Express’ set a new track record of 40.693 seconds in their first run at Oberhof, putting together the fastest runs in both heats to lead a German one-two in front of a home crowd.

Their winning time of 1:21.713 sealed a 33rd World Cup win and leaves the pair just one behind compatriots Patric Leitner and Alexander Resch, who retired in 2010 having clinched 34 World Cup victories.

Team-mates Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken came second, 0.609 seconds behind, while Austria’s Peter Penz and Georg Fischler were 0.737 seconds off the pace and came home third – making them the only non-Germans to make the podium in the three World Cup events over the weekend.

“We surprised ourselves by posting that time on our first run, and we didn’t expect to have such a margin at the end,” said Wendl.

“But some parts of the first run just really flowed. Let’s hope it continues in a similar vein.”

Wendl and Arlt lead the overall standings by 37 points after their fourth win on the bounce, with Eggert and Benecken in front of Penz and Fischler in second.

Sportsbeat 2016