Benecken, Sasha

Sasha’s father and father’s brother were members of the national team of the GDR juniors in Nordic biathlon. Even in kindergarten, Sasha takes part in a sports group, after which he goes to handball, and in 1999, after selection in sports classes, he goes to racing sleds.

From 1996 to 2009, Sasha Beneken attended school, and in February 2003 moved to the Oberhof Sports School with accommodation in a boarding school. In June 2009, he received a certificate of maturity and entered the school of the Federal Police with a sports bias Bad Endorf, in which he is still studying as a master of police at the faculty of police service.

Start

Since 1999, Sasha Beneken is a member of the sledding team of the city of Zul. Since childhood, Sasha has gone from a general sports group to a special group of a sports club. At that time, he was engaged in athletics three times a week after school, and in addition to this, riding a sleigh all year round.

In 2003, Sasha Beneken was delegated to the Gymnasium as a member of the crew sitting behind (Gutberlet / Beneken) and parted with his permanent coaches Teisinger, Grafner and Lesch in order to continue training at the Gymnasium. In subsequent years, he was coached by Lehmann, Münchmeier, Freelinghouse and coach of the national junior team Witter. During his sports activity, Sasha is engaged in sleigh rides both alone and with a partner.

Junior

In the fall of 2005, Sasha Beneken fulfills the single-discipline qualification standard for all three junior world cups, which he all wins. Since that time, he goes to the start only alone. Despite the fact that he is admitted to the competition as a member of the category A youth group, he fulfills the qualification standard for participation in the Junior World Cup and, with his first victory in the Junior World Cup, makes the jump to participate in the World Junior Cup in Cesan, where he takes 6th place.

Sasha Beneken becomes a member of the national junior team and in 2008 wins the overall standings of the Junior World Cup and takes 6th place at the World Junior Championships in Lake Placid. In 2009, he became the second world champion and second in the overall World Cup. On January 31, 2010, he wins the bronze medal in Innsbruck-Eagles at his fourth and last World Junior Championships and becomes a candidate for Group B of the German national racing sled team.

General Class and World Cup Debut

The German team of coaches, led by Norbert Loch, decide together with Tony Eggert and Sasha Beneken that they will start in pairs, starting from the 2010/2011 season. In their first start at the World Cup on November 27, 2010, this duet takes sixth place. For the first time at the World Cup at home in Oberhof, they take their place on the podium of the winners. In the overall standings of the World Cup 2010/2011 season, they take 4th place. At their first world championships in 2011, they rank 10th.

At the World Cup in Innsbruck (season 2011/2012) they take 5th place, in Whistler 4th and 3rd in Calgary. In the new year in Königssee, they take 3rd place and then for the first time win the World Cup in Oberhof. In subsequent races, in particular in St. Moritz, they become second after Linger / Linger. And in the overall standings of the world cups 2011/2012, they win a bronze medal.

At the World Championships in Altenberg in the Ore Mountains region, both vice world champions and in the team standings, together with Felix Loch and Tatyana Hüfner become world champions.

At the European Championships in 2013 in his native Oberhof Eggert / Beneken win both in a pair and in a team. At the World Championships in 2013 in Whistler, they were second after Wendle / Arlt.

At the age of 4, Sasha Beneken already played the recorder, although this hobby did not become long-term. At the age of 13 he learns to play the guitar himself and creates the ensemble "Uncreative".

In subsequent years, together with friends from the Plexic ensemble, the first exits to the stage with songs of their own composition take place. In February 2007, he was given the opportunity to record a couple of songs at the recording studio, which would later be included in his small album of five songs. In the summer of 2007, he takes part in the Thuringian competition of musical ensembles, in which his group takes fourth place.

In the summer of 2007, Sasha Beneken and his ensemble participate in the competition for the official title track of the 2008 World Sledding Championship in Oberhof. To do this, he uses a melody that he himself wrote for another song, redo the text with one of the members of the ensemble, and record at a recording studio. Of the five other contestants, this track is the winner.

At the end of summer 2008, the song “Adrenaline” became the official title track, recorded at a studio in the city of Friedrichroda and released by producer Eric Yaitner. This is followed by the release of a music video. In February 2008, the track “Adrenaline” took 36th place in the German music charts. This was the culmination and at the same time the completion of the Plexic project, the paths of the members of the ensemble diverged.

In the summer of 2007, Sasha Beneken performs with an ensemble at the benefit office, all of whose proceeds are transferred to the needs of the clinic for seriously ill children in Central Germany.

Since 2010, he, along with partner Tony Eggert, has become the guardian of the White Ring organization and supports the campaign “Athletes Set an Example”.

Sasha Beneken also provides support to the board of the sled team in the city of Zul in the areas of Marketing and Contact - Extra-Class Athletes. As a category C trainer and referee, he often takes part in sports competitions for children and youth.

In the summer of 2012, Sasha Beneken organizes a volleyball match-performance in Zul and plays with his training group (David Möller, Andy Langenkhan, Ludwig and others) against the VfB 91 Zul team for the youth contingent.

In 2013, Sasha Benecken supported the all-German event "Big Star of Sports", as well as the school competition "Our Best Ninth Grade", which was held by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of South Thuringia.

• Profile on the FIL website