Germany's Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken have clinched their third Luge World Cup victory of the season ©Getty Images

Germany’s Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken extended their lead in the Luge World Cup doubles standings after picking up their third victory of the season in Calgary.

The defending champions clocked an overall time of 1min 28.223sec to take their 13th individual career win and finish ahead of second-placed Austrians Peter Penz and Georg Fischler on the track used for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games.

The Olympic and world champions Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, also of Germany, claimed third after setting the fastest time of 44.058 on the second run to make up for a mistake on their first descent.

After five of 12 races, Eggert and Benecken lead the overall standings on 455 points, a clear margin of 70 over Penz and Fischler and a further 18 over Wendl and Arlt.

"We are delighted with the result," said Eggert.

"In terms of the runs themselves, our second attempt could have been better, but overall we did pretty well.

"And importantly we have extended our World Cup lead."

Germany's Natalie Geisenberger, the reigning Olympic champion, claimed her first victory of the women's singles World Cup season and is now third in the overall standings ©Getty Images
Germany's Natalie Geisenberger, the reigning Olympic champion, claimed her first victory of the women's singles World Cup season and is now third in the overall standings ©Getty Images

There was also success for Germany in the women’s singles as Olympic champion Natalie Geisenberger clinched her first victory of the season.

The two-time world champion registered an overall time of 1:33.569 to push American Erin Hamlin into the runners-up spot by 0.012 seconds and seal the 32nd World Cup win of her career.

Hamlin, the 2009 world champion and 2014 Olympic bronze medallist, held a slender lead of 0.004 seconds after the first run but ranked fourth in the second.

Her compatriot Summer Britcher came third at Canada Olympic Park, a week after her two wins on home soil in Park City.

Geisenberger, 27, is the fourth competitor to be added to this season’s list of World Cup winners following fellow German Dajana Eitberger, Hamlin and Britcher.

"Of course it’s a huge relief, but I was so motivated after the last few weeks," she said.

"To be honest, I’m really surprised how strong the Americans are everywhere.

"I think competition is good for the sport, especially if it ends well for me like it has today."

Russia’s Tatiana Ivanova, only ninth after the first run, set a track record of 46.525sec on her second to move up to fourth place.

The previous best mark of 46.543 had been set by two-time Olympic champion Sylke Otto of Germany in December 2005.

Hamlin now holds the lead in the overall World Cup standings on 401 points, while Britcher is six behind in second with Geisenberger third on 365.

The event is due to continue tomorrow the men's singles.