World Financial Group

The World Financial Group-sponsored USA Luge Olympic team visited Washington, D.C. on April 22.  And, like any tourist, the team members visited the United States Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, the Washington Monument and the Smithsonian Institute.  But when they visited the White House, the team got to meet President Barack Obama and the First Lady, Michelle Obama.  The meeting was made possible by former USA Luge team member Richard Kolko, now a special agent with the FBI.

Visit the USA Luge website and the World Financial Group official FaceBook page to see pictures of this meeting, as well as team members laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.  And keep reading WFGsports.com for the latest news on “the fastest sport on ice.”

The luge competition came to end yesterday at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. It was an exciting day of sliding for USA Luge, proudly sponsored by World Financial Group.  For USA Luge, there were two doubles teams competing for Olympic Gold. 

In their second trip to the Olympics, the team of Christian Niccum and Dan Joye finished sixth overall with races of 41.602 and 41.689 (1:23.291 combined).  This was only 0.586 seconds away from the Gold medal winners Andreas and Wolfgang Linger from Austria. 

WFG-adopted athletes Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin finished 13^th with runs of 41.821 and 42.184 (1:24.005 combined).  These 2002 Bronze medal winners at Salt Lake City Winter Olympics were 1.3 seconds off the leaders.

It’s been a real thrill for WFG luge fans to follow these amazing athletes as they compete on the world stage.  Keep reading WFGSports.com for the latest on “the fastest sport on ice”! 

The women took to the luge track at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics on Feb. 15 and 16.  Although the track was a bit shorter than usual, it didn’t change the competition for the Olympic Gold, which was long and fierce.

Three women from the World Financial Group-sponsored USA Luge team competed.  Finishing the highest of the three was 2009 World Champion Erin Hamlin, who had a spirited group of fans at the end of the course.  Her run times of 41.835, 42.219, 42.792 and 42.262 (2:49.108) combined earned her 16^th place, only 2.584 seconds off Gold Medal winner Tatjana Huefner of Germany.

Very close behind Erin was her teammate Julia Clukey.  With run times of 42.059, 42.075, 42.472 and 42.754 (2:49.360 combined), Julia slid into 17^th place.  This is Julia’s first Olympic games and we look forward to seeing more from this exciting athlete in the years to come.

Rounding out the WFG-sponsored USA Luge team was Megan Sweeney.  Her times of 42.450, 42.690, 42.625 and 42.450 (2:50.215 combined) gave her a 22^nd place finish on the day before her 23^rd birthday.  Megan also appeared in a taped piece on NBC before her final slide with her insights on how to take the very fast course at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

Visit WFGSports.com tomorrow for the doubles results.  GO USA LUGE!

The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Luge competition may have had a shorter track than usual, but it didn’t seem to slow down the competition.  Over the two days of men’s competition on February 13 and 14, speeds on the track were seen in excess of 90 mph. 

Among the World Financial Group-sponsored USA Luge men, Tony Benshoof finished highest in the rankings.  His times of 48.657, 48.747, 49.010 and 48.714 (3:15.128 combined) earned him 8^th place, at only 2.043 seconds off the time of Gold Medalist Felix Loch of Germany.   

Also sliding was Chris Mazdzer.  In his Olympic debut, Chris, whose fans chose to show their support by painting his name painted across their stomachs, had the “#1 bib” out of all the competitors.  He opened his Olympic competition with a first run of 48.811 seconds.  Later runs of 48.963, 49.223 and 48.816 earned him 13^th place with a combined time of 3:15.813.  Although 2.728 seconds off gold, this was Chris’s best international result. 

WFG-adopted athlete Bengt Walden slid in his third Olympics, but his first as an American.  He had times of 49.002, 48.865, 49.323 and 48.794 (3:15.984 combined) for 15^th place, 2.899 seconds from first.  Amazingly, out of the 38 competitors, only 15.220 second separate first from last.

Read WFGSports.com tomorrow for the women’s luge results!

It’s a tremendous honor to be selected to compete for your country in any Olympics, but to be selected to bear your country’s flag in the opening ceremonies is considered even a greater honor.  For the United States in the Winter Olympics, two Luge athletes have previously carried the U.S. flag: Frank Masely in 1984 and Cameron Myler in 1994.

And now Mark Grimmette is added to that list.  Mark, a five time Olympian and a WFG-adopted athlete, was chosen by the USOC to lead the USA in the parade of nations this Friday in Vancouver.  Mark told the US Olympic Committee that “to be the person leading the US Team into the Opening Ceremony is just such a great honor.” 

For the first time, the Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies will be held indoors with the athletes taking reserved seats after they march in.  The country’s appointed flag bearer will remain on the field for the duration of the ceremony.

The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies begin at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) and will be carried on NBC in the US and CTV in Canada.  Congratulations Mark, we can’t wait to see you carrying the U.S. flag!

Cesana, Italy is a picturesque commune in the Turin province of Italy.  The 2006 Olympic luge competition was held there, and more recently Luge action returned to the town for the final meet for the Luge World Cup.  The World Financial Group-sponsored USA Luge team was among the competitors and all told the team did rather well.  

Nations Cup sliding had two men’s team members in the top 10.  Finishing best was WFG-adopted athlete Bengt Walden with a time of 52.114 seconds, only 0.269 seconds off the leader, and good enough to place him fourth place overall.  Chris Mazdzer came in eighth with a time of 52.287 seconds.  The women’s team fielded one member, Megan Sweeney, who finished fourth with a time of 47.238, only 0.135 seconds off first.  Way to go, team!

In World Cup racing, USA Luge had three men’s team members competing.  Finishing was ahead of the rest was Tony Benshoof, whose combined time of 1:43.861 - only 0.746 seconds from first place - earned him fifth place..  Also sliding were Chris Mazdzer, whose 1:44.177 was good for 14^th place and WFG-adopted athlete Bengt Walden came in 17^th with a time of 1:44.345.

The women of USA Luge also had three competitors.  2009 World Cup Champion Erin Hamlin won the bronze at this event with a combined time of 1:33.925 – a time that was only 0.114 seconds away from the gold.  Not far behind Erin was Megan Sweeney who finished 8^th with a combined time of 1:34.820.  Julia Clukey finished 17^th in this event with a time of 1:36.425.

World Cup doubles featured two teams from USA Luge.  Christian Niccum and Dan Joye came in fifth with a time of 1:33.236, only 0.254 seconds off the leader.  The WFG-adopted teammates Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin finished 11^th with a time of 1:34.567.

Also held in Cesana was a Challenge Cup race.  Among the men, Tony Benshoof came in 5^th with a time of 51.725.  Erin Hamlin finished second with a time of 47.115 (a mere sixth hundredth of a second away from first) among the women.  Doubles teams Christian Niccum and Dan Joye finished 7^th and the WFG-adopted team of Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin came in 10^th.

While the Luge World Cup season is over, luge competition is nowhere near finished.  Up next is the 2010 Winter Olympics.  Look for the men to start competing on Feb. 13 and finishing on Valentine’s Day.  The women will begin on Feb. 15 (President’s Day in the US) and finish the next day.  And doubles competition takes place on the Feb. 17.  Here’s hoping for gold medals for our fine USA Luge team!

Oberhof, Germany has been a haven for winter sports for over 100 years, and the World Financial Group-sponsored USA Luge team had the opportunity to visit this beautiful hamlet over the weekend.  This was their final stop in Germany for the season and the penultimate meet before the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Nations Cup racing started the event on January 15.  Sliding for the US men were Chris Mazdzer and WFG-adopted athlete, Bengt Walden.  Chris’s time of 45.839 seconds, which was only 0.43 seconds off the leader, earned him 7^th place and Bengt’s time of 45.912 seconds earned him 10^th place.  The lone USA Luge woman sliding in the Nations Cup was Megan Sweeney who earned 9^th place with a time of 44.131 seconds, only 0.487 seconds off first.

World Cup racing began Saturday.  Among the men, Tony Benshoof was the highest placing USA Luge member whose combined time of 1:32.012, just 0.629 seconds off first, earned him 11^th place.  Not too far behind him was Chris Mazdzer with a time of 1:32.107 that placed him 14^th.  And WFG-adopted athlete Bengt Walden rounded out the US competitors with a time of 1:32.646, placing him 25^th.

The women had three USA Luge team members among its rankings.  Finishing best was World Champion Erin Hamlin with a combined time of 1:27.188 - 1.252 seconds off the leader - that earned her 8^th place.  Placing 14^th was Julia Clukey with a time of 1:27.544, and coming in 16^th, with a time of 1:27.591, was Megan Sweeney.

In doubles World Cup sliding, WFG-adopted athletes Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin finished in 7^th place with a combined time of 1:26.518, only 0.951 seconds off first.  And coming in 9^th were Christian Niccum and Dan Joye with a time of 1:26.694.

And in the meet-ending relay race, the USA Luge team of Erin, Chris, Mark and Brian finished fifth with a time of 2:30.806, which was 1.027 seconds off first.

World Cup racing resumes on January 29 in Cesana, Italy.  We at World Financial Group wish the USA Luge team continued success there, as well as at the 2010 Olympics. Go Team USA!

The World Financial Group-sponsored USA Luge team continued their visit in Germany with attendance at the second of three World Cup meets.  Although the location changed to Winterberg, the racing did not let up over January 9 and 10, 2010.

In Nations Cup sliding among the men, WFG-adopted athlete Bengt Walden led all competitors with a time of 53.991 seconds.  Also sliding among the men was Chris Mazdzer, placing 19^th with a time of 54.668 seconds, which was only 0.677 seconds off Bengt.  For the women, Megan Sweeney finished third with a time of 57.383 seconds, only 0.387 seconds off the leader.  Also placing in the top ten was Julia Clukey, finishing 9^th with a time of 57.873 seconds.  Doubles racing featured WFG-adopted athletes Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin.  They finished second with a time of 44.450 seconds, which was only 0.096 seconds off the leader.

World Cup racing the next day featured three men sliding for the USA.  Tony Benshoof led the guys with a combined time of 1:48.767 seconds, good for 13^th place.  This was 1.166 seconds off the leader.  Not far behind him was Chris Mazdzer, coming in 16^th with a time of 1:49.216.  And WFG-adopted athlete Bengt Walden finished in 29^th with a time of 1:50.873.

The women of USA Luge did well, with current World Champion Erin Hamlin finishing third with a time of 1:53.329, just 0.15 seconds off the leader.  Coming in 10^th was Julia Clukey with her time of 1:54.591, and on her heels was Megan Sweeney, whose time of 1:54.629 earned her 11^th place.  This was Megan’s best World Cup showing yet.  Congratulations!

In World Cup doubles sliding, WFG-adopted athletes Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin finished fourth with a combined time of 1:29.126, only 0.529 seconds off first place.  And placing in the top ten was the team of Christian Niccum and Dan Joye, finishing 8^th with a time of 1:29.517.

The trip to Winterberg ended with a relay competition, and USA Luge earned bronze medal status with a combined time of 2:26.663.  Sliding were Erin, Bengt, Mark and Brian.  Congratulations on your finish!

Our WFG-sponsored USA Luge team will compete in Oberhof, Germany over the MLK holiday weekend.  And after a week break, the team will travel to Cesana, Italy for the final World Cup match of the season before the Vancouver Winter Olympics.  Keep reading here for all the latest on these athletes in “the fastest sport on ice”.

Koenigssee, Germany is the home of one of the most challenging luge courses in the world.  In fact, the course has a “legendary” aura among sliders.  But the USA Luge team, proudly sponsored by World Financial Group, was more than up for the task.  Over two days of racing on January 2 and 3, our sliding men and women sought to conquer the course and make it their own.

In men’s Nations Cup racing, WFG-adopted athlete Bengt Walden finished second in his race with a time of 47.435 seconds.  This was a thousandth of a second off first place finisher Stefan Höhener (47.434 seconds) of Switzerland.  Also sliding for our team was Chris Mazdzer.  His time of 47.803 seconds earned him 13^th place.  For the US women, Julia Clukey finished in 5^th place with a time of 47.813 seconds, only 0.252 seconds off first.  Her teammate Megan Sweeney finished 16^th with a time of 48.841 seconds.  In the doubles Nations Cup race, WFG-adopted athletes Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin led all competitors with a time of 47.469 seconds!

World Cup racing featured three men’s USA Luge team members in competition.  Tony Benshoof finished best among the men with a combined time of 1:35.141.  His time was only 0.965 seconds from first, which earned him 13^th place.  Chris Mazdzer finished 21^st with a time of 1:36.094 and WFG-adopted athlete Bengt Walden came in 30^th, showing 1:36.553.  For the women, current National Champion Erin Hamlin came in fifth with a time of 1:36.304, only 0.98 seconds off the leader.  Not far behind her was Julia Clukey, finishing in seventh place with a time of 1:36.546.  Megan Sweeney’s time of 1:37.672 earned her 17th place.  In doubles competition, the US pair of Christian Niccum and Dan Joye finished in sixth place with a time of 1:35.258 seconds, which was only 0.762 seconds away from first.  WFG-adopted athletes Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin finished 11^th with a time of 1:35.622.

Winterberg, Germany will be the location of the next Nations and World Cup meet this coming weekend.  Look for coverage on Universal Sports and here at wfgsports.com! 

The USA Luge team, sponsored by World Financial Group, has announced their 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic team.  Six team members will compete individually and four will compete as doubles teams.  The team is comprised of:

• Tony Benshoff of White Bear Lake, Minn.  Tony finished fourth in the 2006 Torino Olympics.  He has won 37 international medals sliding for USA Luge, making him the all-time singles medals leader.
• Chris Mazdzer of Saranac Lake, N.Y.  Chris won the 2005 Youth A men’s singles World Cup and has won two team event silver medals.  In addition, he also won the 2007 Verizon US National Championship title and the 2008 Verizon US Junior National Championship.
• WFG-adopted athlete Bengt Walden of Westborough, Mass.  Bengt’s most recent Olympic experience was sliding for Sweden.  This will be his first time sliding for the red, white and blue in Olympic competition.  Bengt won the 2008 Verizon US National Champion title.
• Julia Clukey of Augusta, ME.  Julia is a two-time US Junior Silver Medalist and two-time US national luge start champion.  Last season, Julia was the US National Champion silver medalist and placed fifth in the World Championship.  Sliding since 1999, Vancouver represents Julia’s first Olympics.
• Erin Hamlin of Remsen, NY.  Erin is the current reigning women’s world champion, winning earlier this year in Lake Placid.  Erin won the US national championships in 2008 and 2009, and most recently placed third in a World Cup event in Lillehammer, Norway.
• Megan Sweeney of Suffield, Conn.  Megan is a two-time US Juniors National Champion and has won 10 individual junior’s medals in her career.  While this is her first Winter Olympics, she is no stranger to Olympics experience.  She won gold and silver medals in the 1998 junior Olympics in karate.
• WFG-adopted athletes Mark Grimmette of Muskegon, Mich. and Brian Martin of Palo Alto, Calif.  This team has won 65 medals in international competition, including the bronze medal in the 1998 Nagano Olympics and the silver medal in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics!  Earlier in 2009, Mark and Brian won the bronze medal in the World Cup and were featured in Sports Illustrated. 
• Christian Niccum of Woodinville, Wash. and Dan Joye of San Jose, Calif.  Christian and Dan were the 2008 US champions and the 2009 US silver medalists and recently contributed to a team relay silver medal in Germany.  While Dan has been an Olympic participant before, this is Christian’s first trip! 

Opening ceremonies, featuring these fine athletes in the parade of nations, are Feb. 12.  Men’s competition will begin on the Feb.13, women’s on the Feb. 15 and doubles on the Feb. 17.  Be sure to read wfgsports.com for all the latest on our USA Luge team!