Japan's Kobayashi wins ski jumping World Cup in Poland

WARSAW: Japan's Ryoyu Kobayashi clinched victory in individual competition of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup in Wisla, Poland, amassing 269.4 points across two jumps.

The competition unfolded in challenging wind conditions. In his initial attempt, Kobayashi soared 131 meters, securing a fifth place. Austrian Stefan Kraft, topping the World Cup general standings, led with a jump of 132m. He was closely followed by Anze Lanisek of Slovenia, just 0.2 points behind, and Germany's Andreas Wellinger, trailing by 2.7 points, reports Xinhua.

The final round saw a stellar performance from Kobayashi, who leaped an impressive 139.5m, marking his 31st triumph in World Cup events. Kraft secured the runner-up spot with a 129.5m jump in his final round, while Wellinger claimed the third position on the podium.

Adam Malysz, President of the Polish Ski Association, reflected on the event's outcomes, stating, "We look forward to much better performances. Individual jumps are good, but as a team, we lack stability."

The host nation's expectations were not met, with Piotr Zyla's 14th-place finish being the best result for the Polish team.

The ski jumpers are set to reconvene on Wednesday for the individual competition in Szczyrk, Poland. The tour will then proceed to Zakopane, where the concluding contests of the Polish Tour are slated for January 19-21.