Time hasn't dimmed Tony Benshoof's Olympic dreams

Tony Benshoof still has the same Olympic luge dreams as he did 14 years ago, when he put his thoughts down in a time capsule.

By RACHEL BLOUNT, Star Tribune

Last update: November 19, 2009 - 7:43 PM

Tony Benshoof has spent most of the past 20 years trying to beat the clock, zooming down luge runs at 90 miles an hour. Last summer, the Olympian from White Bear Lake took a trip back in time, only to discover that some things do not dim with age.

Benshoof and five high-school friends had buried letters in a time capsule 14 years ago, during a trip to the Boundary Waters. They returned last summer to dig it up and see how their lives compared to the futures they envisioned. "When I read my letter, I was struck by the fact that luge was a big part of my life even then,'' Benshoof said. "I wondered if I would go to the Olympics, if I would medal. I was drawn to the fact that I had a lot of love for the sport, even at that time.''

Benshoof has been to the Olympics twice, in 2002 and 2006. He has not medaled, but he hopes to gain another chance to do so at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. At 34, Benshoof's drive still hasn't slowed, and he's hoping it's strong enough to qualify him for the Olympic team during the World Cup luge season that begins today in Calgary.

"Training has gone great, for the team and for me,'' said Benshoof, who was fourth in men's singles at the 2006 Olympics. "I've laid down some great times, and my back is holding up. I'm in good spirits.''

Benshoof and his U.S. teammates will compete in four World Cups over the next four weeks in Canada and Europe. The Olympic team will be determined by their results.

He's eager to get back to the Games after finishing only .153 of a second out of third place at the 2006 Olympics in Turin. The U.S. never has won an Olympic medal in singles luge, a sport dominated by Europeans. But no one has come closer than Benshoof, who has won more international medals than any other U.S. singles slider.

The back surgery he had last winter relieved pain from a herniated disc, which hampered his sliding last season. He recovered quickly and won the U.S. men's title, and a week of training on the Whistler run earlier this month has heightened his familiarity with the track.

Benshoof and his friends wrote new letters last summer, outlining their hopes and dreams for the next stage of their lives, and reburied them in the time capsule. With luge a constant in his life, Benshoof's goals remain much the same.

"I keep reminding myself I had a great race in Turin, and I hope it will be better in Whistler,'' he said. "I've trained really hard, and I feel great. I'm still driven.''

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