Sascha Benecken (born 14 February 1990) is a German luger who has competed since 1999.[1][2][3][4] With his doubles partner Toni Eggert he has been world champion ten times and won the overall World Cup six times.

Sascha Benecken
Benecken in 2018
Personal information
NationalityGerman
Born (1990-02-14) 14 February 1990 (age 34)
Suhl, East Germany
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight74 kg (163 lb)
Sport
CountryGermany
SportLuge
EventDoubles
ClubRodelteam Suhl SV EGS 48 e.V.
Medal record
Men's luge
Representing  Germany
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2022 Beijing Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Pyeongchang Doubles
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Altenberg Team relay
Gold medal – first place 2017 Igls Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2017 Igls Team relay
Gold medal – first place 2019 Winterberg Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2019 Winterberg Doubles' sprint
Gold medal – first place 2020 Sochi Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2020 Sochi Team relay
Gold medal – first place 2021 Königssee Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2023 Oberhof Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2023 Oberhof Doubles' sprint
Gold medal – first place 2023 Oberhof Team relay
Silver medal – second place 2012 Altenberg Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2013 Whistler Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2016 Königssee Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2021 Königssee Team relay
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Igls Doubles' sprint
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Winterberg Team relay
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Königssee Doubles' sprint
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013 Oberhof Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2013 Oberhof Team relay
Gold medal – first place 2016 Altenberg Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2016 Altenberg Team relay
Gold medal – first place 2018 Sigulda Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2022 St. Moritz Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2017 Königssee Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2018 Sigulda Team relay
Silver medal – second place 2019 Oberhof Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2022 St. Moritz Team relay
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Paramonovo Doubles
World Cup
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Doubles 43 32 11
Sprint 11 8 3
Team relay 19 8 3
Total 73 48 17
  • Updated as of 26 February, 2023

Early life

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His father was part of East Germany's junior national team in the Nordic Skiing. As a result, he took part in a play and sports group as early as kindergarten, from which he then switched to handball and in 1999, after a sighting in physical education, to luge. In February 2003, Sascha Benecken moved to the sports high school in Oberhof and to the boarding school there . In June 2009 he passed his Abitur and successfully applied to the federal police , where he completed his training in the middle police enforcement service to become a police master at the federal police sports school in Bad Endorf by October 2013.

Junior Career

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In the fall of 2005, Benecken qualified individually for three Youth A World Cups, all of which he was able to win. From then on he only competed in singles. He qualified for the Junior World Cup in 2006, although he was still eligible to start for youth A, and with his first Junior World Cup win on January 13, 2007 he made it to the Junior World Championships, where he finished sixth on the Olympic track in Cesana .

Benecken became part of the junior national team and won the overall junior world cup in 2008 and again fought for 6th place at the junior world championships in Lake Placid . In 2009 he was both Junior Vice World Champion and overall World Cup runner-up. On January 31, 2010 he won bronze at his fourth and last Junior World Championships in Innsbruck-Igls and thus recommended himself as a B squad qualifier for the German national luge team.

On the 22nd of August 2023, Benecken, in conjunction with his doubles collaborator Eggert, officially declared their retirement from active involvement in competitive sports.[5]


Luge results

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All results are sourced from the International Luge Federation (FIL).[1]

World Cup

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Season Doubles Sprint Team relay Points Overall Doubles Sprint
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6
2010–11  
6
 
4
 
6
 
10
 
6
 
3
 
3
 
4
 
3
 
 
 
 
 
 
3
516 4th 4th
2011–12  
5
 
4
 
3
 
3
 
1
 
4
 
2
 
5
 
3
 
 
 
 
1
 
 
630 3rd 3rd
2012–13  
2
 
2
 
3
 
8
 
2
 
1
 
2
 
7
 
13
 
 
 
 
 
 
628 2nd 2nd
2013–14  
2
 
1
 
21
 
2
 
3
 
2
 
1
 
2
 
 
1
 
 
 
 
 
630 2nd 2nd
2014–15  
1
 
1
 
1
 
2
 
2
 
1
 
2
 
2
 
7
 
1
 
2
 
1
 
1
 
 
 
1
 
 
1071 1st 1st 1st
2015–16  
1
 
1
 
2
 
1
 
21
 
2
 
12
 
1
 
1
 
3
 
2
 
2
 
1
 
7
 
 
 
1
 
4
962[6] 2nd 2nd 2nd
2016–17  
1
 
1
 
1
 
3
 
2
 
1
 
2
 
1
 
1
 
1
 
1
 
1
 
7
 
 
2
 
 
1
 
1
1140 1st 1st 1st
2017–18  
1
 
1
 
1
 
1
 
1
 
2
 
1
 
1
 
1
 
2
 
1
 
DNF
 
1
 
1
 
1
 
1
 
DSQ
 
1
 
2
1170 1st 1st
2018–19  
2
 
1
 
2
 
1
 
1
 
1
 
2
 
2
 
2
 
5
 
1
 
3
 
2
 
 
1
 
3
 
 
2
1050 1st 1st 1st
2019–20  
1
 
2
 
1
 
2
 
8
 
3
 
6
 
 
1
 
2
 
1
 
5
 
3
 
2
 
 
 
 
1
872 1st 1st 2nd
2020–21  
3
 
2
 
1
 
2
 
1
 
22
 
4
 
5
 
4
 
15
 
1
 
3
 
1
 
4
 
1
 
2
 
 
CNX
830 3rd 2nd 3rd
2021–22  
1
 
4
 
2
 
2
 
13
 
DNF
 
1
 
1
 
1
 
7
 
1
 
2
 
7
 
 
1
 
 
1
 
2
907 1st 1st 2nd
2022–23  
4
 
1
 
1
 
4
 
5
 
1
 
2
 
2
 
2
 
5
 
2
 
2
 
1
 
 
 
2
 
 
955 2nd 2nd 2nd

References

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  1. ^ a b "Sascha Benecken". International Luge Federation. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Sascha Benecken". German Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton Federation. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Sascha Benecken". German Olympic Sports Confederation. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Sascha Benecken". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Benecken/Eggert retired from Luge". sportschau.de. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  6. ^ 2015-16 season FIL World Cup results
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