Germans Sweep Top Two in Two-Man Luge Event

Looking only for a top-10 finish Friday in the two-man luge, the United States placed ninth and seemed satisfied with the result.

Wendel Suckow of Marquette, Mich., and Bill Taveres of Lake Placid, N.Y., matched the best Olympic finish for an American doubles team, equaling the 1984 standard of Ron Rossi and Doug Bateman. Chris Thorpe, also of Marquette, and Gordy Sheer of Croton, N.Y., finished 12th.

“I wish we could have beaten the previous best, but it was nice,” Suckow said. “I have no regrets. I set out to tie the best American finish in the Olympics and I did that, so I’m happy with my first Olympics.”

German sledders won the gold and silver medals. Stefan Krausse and Jan Behrendt recorded the fastest combined time in the two runs, 1 minute 32.053 seconds, beating countrymen Yves Mankel and Thomas Rudolph by .18 seconds. Hansjorg Raffl and Norbert Huber of Italy were third.

Dense fog affected visibility and delayed the start by 30 minutes. “I thought they should have sent us off right on time, but the top man needs to see,” Suckow said.

Sheer said the team looked at it as a building experience for the 1994 Games at Lillehammer, Norway.