Kobayashi wins Four Hills for a third time, without a stage win

Japan's Ryoyu Kobayashi clinched a third title at the Four Hills tournament without a single stage victory as he came second for the fourth time at Saturday's finale, behind Austrian Stefan Kraft.

World Cup leader Kraft soared 136.5 and 140 metres for victory in front of an Austrian home crowd in Bischofshofen, ahead of Kobayashi (137m, 139m) and Anze Lanisek of Slovenia (134.5m, 141m).

Kobayashi led after the first round but did not appear to take every risk in the second as his only title rival Andreas Wellinger of Germany had lost ground in a modest first jump and finished fifth.

The 2022 Olympic champion Kobayashi had also placed second at the first three stops in Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Innsbruck, where he had taken the overall lead from Wellinger.

He is the ninth man to get the Four Hills title without a stage win in 72 editions.

Kobayashi's previous Four Hills titles were in 2019, when he won at all four stops for the third grand slam in competition history, and in 2022, when he won three of the four events.

Wellinger had to settle for the runner-up spot like in 2018 as Germany's wait for a first winner since 2002 continues. He trailed by only 2.5 metres coming into the finale but lost all chances with a modest first round jump of 132m. Kraft was third overall.