Huefner leads German luge sweep

Nov 22, 2009 - 4:19 AM CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- Tatjana Huefner led a German sweep of the top four spots in the opening World Cup luge event of the season, beating Natalie Geisenberger by 16-hundredths of a second Saturday at Canada Olympic Park.

Huefner, third in the 2006 Turin Olympics, had a two-run time of 1 minute, 33.691 seconds. Anke Wischnewski was third, and Corinna Martini finished fourth.

"We love to make it so dominant here," said Huefner, who had six World Cup victories last season. "We all love Calgary's track and we are very good here."

American Erin Hamlin of Remsen, N.Y., the winner of the world championships last February in Lake Placid, N.Y., was seventh Saturday. Julia Clukey of Augusta, Maine, was 11th and 17-year-old Kate Hansen of La Canada, Calif., was 16th.

"There were a few mistakes you can't afford on this track," Hamlin said. "Those little mistakes cost a lot at the bottom."

Clukey and Hansen will both need a top-nine finish next week in Igls, Austria, to be guaranteed that they will keep their World Cup team spots.

In the men's race, Italian star Armin Zoeggeler beat Germany's David Moeller by five-hundredths of a second. Russia's Albert Demtschenko was third.

"I'm very happy for the first win of the season," said Zoeggler, the 35-year-old multiple Olympic-medal winner and world champion.

Tony Benshoof of White Bear Lake, Minn., was sixth, leading the Americans. Benshoof has been battling a chronically sore back in recent days.

Bengt Walden of Westborough, Mass., was 10th in the men's field.