Felix Loch wins 7th World Cup straight for 5th overall title

ALTENBERG, Germany (AP) Two-time Olympic champion Felix Loch claimed his fifth overall luge title with his seventh consecutive World Cup win on Saturday.

The 26-year-old German had the quickest time in both runs, racing down the track in 53.780 and then 53.776 seconds for a combined time of 1 minute, 47.556.

Roman Repilov of Russia was 0.329 behind in second, with Chris Mazdzer of the United States third, 0.346 behind.

As the race doubled for the European Championships, it meant Loch claimed a personal treble after clinching the world title in Koenigssee, Germany on Jan. 31. He won the European title once before.

''Now I've claimed the treble it'd be nice if Bayern could follow suit,'' said Loch, a Bayern Munich soccer fan. ''I think it was very important to win this overall World Cup in particular, because it shows who was the best over the whole season.''

Loch led the standings with an unassailable 890 points ahead of the last World Cup in Winterberg, Germany. Austria's Wolfgang Kindl was second on 740, ahead of Mazder on 615.

Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken pipped German compatriots and World Cup leaders Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt to the European doubles title earlier Saturday.

Eggert and Benecken posted a time of 41.502 with their first run and set a new track record of 41.388 with their second for a combined time of 1:22.890.

Wendl and Arlt, the world and Olympic champions, were 0.379 behind in second, ahead of Austria's Peter Penz and Georg Fischler, 0.581 behind.

Wendl and Arlt lead the overall World Cup standings with 952 points, 90 more than Eggert and Benecken, before the last race in Winterberg.

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

(This story has been corrected to show Wendl and Arlt lead the overall standings by 90 points, not 100.)