The Japanese Ryoyu Kobayashi just barely won the New Year's jump of the ski jumpers in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and is thus on course for his second title in the Four Hills Tournament. The 25-year-old flew 143 and 135.5 meters on Saturday, beating the competition like in Oberstdorf. The German Markus Eisenbichler took second place one day after his victory in the qualification and demonstrated his strongly ascending shape curve with jumps on 141 and 143.5 meters. In the end, 0.2 points made the difference. Lovro Kos from Slovenia completed the podium.
Germany's hopeful Karl Geiger (130 and 127.5 meters) finished seventh on New Year's Eve, losing the overall World Cup leader's yellow jersey for the first time this winter.
During the tour, the gap to Kobayashi has grown further.
This Tuesday (2 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Four Hills Tournament, on ZDF and on Eurosport) the third competition will continue in Innsbruck.
On the Bergisel, Germany's ski jumpers have often lost their tour prematurely in recent years.
More soon at FAZ.NET.