2016/2017 FIL World Cup – Doubles Luge – Race 3

From Whistler, CAN

Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken stayed perfect on the season, destroying the former Whistler track record in the process. The Germans tied for the fastest start with teammates Tobias Wendl & Tobias Arlt, who finished .028 off the pace in second place.

Thanks to heavy snow holding up the delivery of the tour’s sleds, the race was a one-heat race in a steady, heavy snowfall moved from Friday to Saturday.

Peter Penz & Georg Fischler was the first team to break the track record (38.787 by Semmler & Pfeiffer set in December of 2014) and held the top spot in the one-heat race for ten teams until Eggert & Benecken took the lead. They held on for bronze.

Much like in the women’s race, the track record for the doubles event was under attack from the get-go, with the top six all finishing ahead of the two year old record.

Oskars Gudramovics & Peteris Kalnins of Latvia finished fourth, just ahead of Canadians Tristan Walker & Justin Snith in fifth and Germans Robin Geueke & David Gamm, who finished fifth and sixth respectively.

Matt Mortensen and Jayson Terdiman led the way for the United States with an eighth place finish. Justin Krewson & Andrew Sherk finished 11th, while Jacob Hyrns & Anthony Espinoza finished 13th to help put Americans all in the top 15.

The Canadian team of Matthew Riddle & Adam Shippit made their World Cup debut on home ice, holding the lead for a few sleds before finishing  18th.

Results: