Kobayashi ends Prevc’s winning streak with Engelberg victory

Ryoyu Kobayashi ended Domen Prevc’s winning run by taking victory at the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup in Engelberg, Switzerland. After sitting fifth at the halfway mark with a 133.0 m jump (146.5 pts), Kobayashi delivered a superb second-round effort of 132.0 m worth 163.4 points, securing a 310.0-point total and the win by 3.6 points over Prevc.

Prevc, level with Germany’s Philipp Raimund after the first round, produced 141.0 m in round two for 155.7 points, but tough wind conditions cost him style points and the chance at a sixth straight World Cup win. Despite the setback, he remains the Crystal Globe leader by 199 points ahead of Kobayashi.

Felix Hoffmann, who topped qualification by a single point over Prevc, completed the podium with 303.8 points. Raimund slipped to fourth after sharing the halfway lead, and Poland’s Kacper Tomasiak finished fifth.

There was a new hill record in round one: Austria’s Stephan Embacher flew 145.0 m to set the mark and ultimately placed eighth. Reigning Crystal Globe champion Daniel Tschofenig missed the second round after his first-jump score of 127.0 points fell short of the cut.

Kobayashi, celebrating his second win of the 2025/26 season after Lillehammer in November, credited focusing on execution amid the ‘windy lottery’. Coach Janne Väätäinen lauded his athlete’s decisive second jump in challenging, shifting winds.

Next up is the Four Hills Tournament opener in Oberstdorf (GER) on 28–29 December, with qualification on the 28th and the World Cup competition on the 29th.