Four Hills Ski Jumping - Ryoyu Kobayashi misses out on historic Grand Slam as Daniel Huber wins in Bischofshofen
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Updated 06/01/2022 at 19:08 GMT
Kobayashi would have become the first man in history to twice complete the Four Hills Grand Slam, but missed out on a fourth successive victory on a disappointing night in Austria. The Japanese star did hold on to the overall win across the four events, but it was Daniel Huber who claimed a stunning, surprise triumph on the final night of action at the famous ski-jumping spectacle.
‘At last, at last’ - Huber’s jump to claim Four Hills ski-jumping victory in Bischofshofen
Ryoyu Kobayashi missed out on a history-making Grand Slam with a disappointing fifth-placed finish at the final event of the Four Hills ski jumping in Bischofshofen.
Kobayashi would have become the first man in history to win the four successive large hill events twice in his career with victory in Austria.
However a below-par performance saw him close the night down the standings and nine points behind surprise winner Daniel Huber, though his three prior wins ensured the 25-year-old did cling on to his second overall Four Hills title.
Austria's Huber claimed a breakthrough victory on home slopes, securing his first Four Hills and World Cup win with jumps of 136.5 metres and 137m, with an overall tally of 286.8 points.
Halvor Egner Granerud of Norway finished second on the night, 4.4 points behind, while Karl Geiger (a further 0.5 of a point back) kept the pressure on Kobayashi in the overall World Cup standings with his first podium of the week.
"Amazing. I don't have any words right now," said a stunned Huber afterwards. "To win my first World Cup at home is like a dream.
"I'm really struggling right now - it is one of the best days of my life.
"I felt in good shape the last couple of weeks, but I was still struggling with the details. Today it really came together. I made some changes in my set-up and maybe that was a key to the success."
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‘It is amazing’ - Huber in a state of shock after Four Hills win
After out-jumping the field in both Oberstdorf and Garmish-Partenkirchen, Kobayashi had teed up his tilt at history with victory on the same hill, with the scheduled Innsbruck event delayed and relocated due to strong winds on Wednesday.
And back in Bischofshofen and the largest of the Four Hills, Kobayashi topped qualifying before advancing from the first round fifth in the standings with head-to-head victory over Fredrik Villumstad.
Yet it was Geiger (146.5 points) who progressed top the standings with the only leap in excess of 140 metres and leaving Kobayashi (139.7 pts) trailing by nearly seven points.
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Watch Kobayashi winning jump in qualifying at Bischofshofen
Another disappointing leap from the Japanese ensured that he would not contend for the podium in a lacklustre final showing.
Indeed, team-mate Yukiya Sato finished ahead of Kobayashi, while Austria's Manuel Fettner slipped from podium contention after tumbling soon after landing, losing his right ski as he over-balanced in an attempt to steady himself.
Lovro Kos (144 metres) and Marius Lindvik (139m) surged into the top ten with the two longest jumps of the final round, but it was Huber who stole the day, snatching a remarkable triumph.
The final results of the Vierschanzentournee saw Kobayashi 24.2 points clear of Lindvik, with Granerud a further ten points down and completing the podium.
Germans Geiger and Markus Eisenibichler rounded out the top five.
The Grand Slam had been achieved twice previously before Kobayashi's maiden Four Hills triumph in 2018-19.
Defending champion Kamil Stoch - absent after pulling out of the final two events this year amid struggles with form - secured a clean sweep in 2017-18, matching the achievement of inaugural grand slammer Sven Hannawald (2001-02).
Overall victory also consolidates Kobayashi's place at the top of the World Cup standings.
After 13 of the 28 scheduled events, the Japanese star leads Geiger by 55 points.
Next on the agenda for the leading male large hill jumpers is the team competition on the same hill.
That is due to be held on Sunday, January 9.
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