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Unbeaten: the Japanese Ryoyu Kobayashi
Photo:
Daniel Karmann / dpa
In the snowstorm from Bischofshofen, the runner-up in the overall ranking of the Four Hills Tournament, Norwegian Marius Lindvik, put the overall leader Ryoyu Kobayashi under great pressure with a great jump in the second round.
Kobayashi needed at least 135 meters to win - and once again withstood the pressure.
With jumps of 137 and 137.5 meters (291.3 points), the 25-year-old secured victory in the third jump of the Four Hills Tournament ahead of the two Norwegians Marius Lindvik, who jumped 137.5 meters (286.6 points) twice Halvor Egner Granerud with two jumps on 135.5 meters (282.4 points).
The best German was Karl Geiger in a strong fourth place (133 and 136 meters). He was well recovered four days after his disappointing seventh place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The 28-year-old tied at least partially to his excellent condition from before Christmas. "It was a good competition for me today, a good day - so far back," he said. This leaves him with the prospect of third place in the overall ranking. Markus Eisenbichler finished eighth as the second-best German and is fourth in the tour's overall standings.
Kobayashi remains the leader in the overall standings.
And it looks like he can only stop himself on the way to a remarkable record with a gross mistake: If he wins the fourth competition on Thursday (from 5.30 p.m. / TV: ARD and Eurosport), he would be the first Ski jumper who manages the "Grand Slam" twice, that is, who wins all four jumps in the Four Hills Tournament.
Kobayashi should play in the cards that the fourth competition will take place again in Bischofshofen - according to his own statements, the 25-year-old Japanese's favorite hill.
The tour will be held this year as a three-hill tournament.
Due to strong winds, the third competition had to be moved from Innsbruck to Bischofshofen.
see / dpa
