Eggert/Benecken with double title
Toboggan duo races to European title and World Cup victory
01/22/2022, 11:39 am
Winning twice is twice the fun: Toboggan world champions Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken secure victory in the World Cup final and the European Championships, which are held at the same time, in the overall World Cup in doubles. The lugers are celebrating their “nerve” – and are now looking forward to the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Test of nerves passed, two titles in the luggage: The German luge doubles Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken secured the European title and victory in the overall World Cup in St. Moritz – and showed excellent form two weeks before the Winter Games in Beijing. The Thuringians won the most important race of the season so far ahead of the Bavarian Olympic champions Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt.
On the only artificial ice track on the calendar, the two German flagship duos were separated by 0.113 seconds after two runs. “It was nerve-racking and a great team effort,” said Benecken, “so we can travel to Beijing with great confidence.” Eggert/Benecken won their fourth European Championship title and the sixth crystal globe for the World Cup.
“If we stand on the podium in Beijing…”
In both statistics they are ahead of Wendl and Arlt (3/4) – but Bayern have always been ahead on the most important stage: Wendl/Arlt won Olympic gold in 2014 and 2018, for Eggert/Benecken there is only Olympic bronze in 2018 Statistics. That should change at the games in Beijing.
“Even without gold, our career is pretty well rounded,” said Benecken, “but when I look at both doubles, I have to say: We’ve never been as strong a German team as we are at the moment. If we’re both on the podium in Beijing, let’s sign it.”
The experienced Latvians Andris and Juris Sics are the big competitors of the German doubles, the brothers also led the rankings in the overall World Cup until the last race. In St. Moritz, however, it was only enough for fifth place, Eggert/Benecken could just overtake them with their victory. The Vice Junior World Champions Max Ewald/Jakob Jannusch from Thuringia also made their World Cup debut in Switzerland and finished 17th.