Sara Takanashi won the first of two World Cup competitions in Sapporo. The overall World Cup winner of Japan took a clear win with jumps on 97 m and 98 m and a total of 249.9 points ahead of Daniela Iraschko-Stolz and Spela Rogelj.

Iraschko-Stolz jumped on 89.5 m nad 94 m for 231.1 points. Spela Rogelj, who won the World Cup opener in Lillehammer, reached a total of 226.3 points with her jumps on 88.5 m and 96.5 m.

Four points behind, Jacqueline Seifriedsberger came in fourth with 94 m and 93.5 m.

Hendrickson good fifth

Sarah Hendrickson was the best of the US American team in fifth with 95 m and 88.5 m and 221.6 points. Russia's Irina Avvakumova finished sixth with 217.2 points, Olympic Champion Carina Vogt came in seventh, 0.3 points behind. With 208.5 points, the eighth place went to Slovenia's Maja Vtic, 3.7 points ahead of Norway's Maren Lundby. The two Germans Katharina Althaus (202.1 points) and Juliane Seyfarth (201.7 poitns) were 10th and 11th.

Ito misses top result

Yuki Ito could not be completely satisfied with this home competition. She came in only 15th, behind Line Jahr, Jessica Jerome and Katja Pozun. Coline Mattel was the only French athlete who could score World Cup points was Coline Mattel in 18th, Elena Runggaldier scored a few points for Italy in 24th.

The second competition in Sapporo follows on Sunday. The qualification will start at 2:00 am CET, followed by the competition at 3:00 am CET.