Eggert, Benecken on verge of overall luge World Cup victory

Published Feb. 4, 2017 10:49 a.m. ET

OBERHOF, Germany (AP) Olympic champions Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt led a German sweep in a luge World Cup while Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken took another step toward overall victory on Saturday.

Wendl and Arlt were fastest in both runs for a combined time of 1 minute, 21.909 seconds, beating Eggert and Benecken by 0.156 second, and Robin Johannes Geueke and David Gamm by 0.506.

Canada's Tristan Walker and Justin Snith were fourth, ahead of Russia's Vladislav Yuzhakov and Iurii Prokhorov.

Eggert and Benecken had a 167-point lead over Wendl and Arlt after 10 events, meaning the 2014-15 winners were all but certain to claim overall victory at one of the two final World Cups in Pyeongchang, South Korea or Altenberg, Germany later February.

Olympic champion Felix Loch continued German dominance with his first World Cup win of the season in the men's event.

Loch defeated Russia's Roman Repilov, the overall leader, by 0.040 seconds and compatriot Andi Langenhan by 0.127.

Germans Johannes Ludwig and Ralf Palik were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Repilov leads Loch by 77 points ahead of the last two events.

The women's race and a team relay were scheduled for Sunday.