Freitag scored 148.1 points to finish clear of Japan's Junshiro Kobayaashi who scored 142.1 points and Austria's Stefan Kraft with 141.9 points.

Freitag soared to 130.5 metres, some 2.5 metres short of Kobayashi, but he scored extra marks for using the more challenging gate ten instead of 11, with further points awarded for wind compensation.

Compatriot Karl Geiger was fourth ahead of Norway's Johann Andre Forfang.

Poland's Dawid Kubacki was sixth with Germany's Andreas Wellinger a disappointinjg 14th.

Freitag and Wellinger arrive at the Four-hills event as first and second in the overall World Cup standings.

"The pressure has always been there because everyone was always talking about when a German will finally win the Four-Hills tournament again, said Freitag.

"Now we are in a better position than in the last years, that's why there is maybe less pressure now."

Wellinger added: "The cards are always reshuffled before the Four-Hills tournament. 

"Where we are right now is the result of hard work and that's why I believe that we are better prepared right now than in the last years. 

"We will see what's on the result lists at the end."

Oberstdorf is where Freitag has livd and trained since last summer. 

"Hopefully I'll have a good start into the Tournament. We did everything we could in order to be ready to show good performances during this 4-Hills," he added. 

"It's very, very close. 

"Many ski jumpers are jumping really well right now. 

"I'm looking forward to the competitions. 

"I'm in a very good and stable shape, so let's wait and see what the next days will bring. 

"There are always surprises at the Four-Hills tournament and that's what makes it interesting."

Norwegian Daniel Andre Tande, currently third in the overall World Cup standings, qualified in 20th.

Last season he lost his chance to win the overall title due to problems with his bindings in the final event of the Four Hills in Bischofshofen.

He finished third in the Four-Hills tournament last year but arrives as one of the top contenders. 

"I'm excited for it to get started," he said.

"Last season, the Four-Hills  was amazing and awful at the same time for me, especially considering the last jump. 

"But this is not a problem anymore.

"I learned a lot about myself as an athlete, so if I had done everything correctly and won, I would probably not be the same guy today. 

"Hopefully, I can benefit from it for the rest of my career.

"I don't want to put pressure on myself with setting high goals or having too high expectations. 

"I believe that I got better in focusing on every single jump and not too much on everything else, especially on things that I can't control. 

"It's no big deal when I have a bad day at the hill. 

"I can still do what I love, which is traveling around the world, jump on different hills and compete with the best in the world."

After the first competition of the Four-Hills Ski jumping event takes in Oberstdorf the tournament continues in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Germany, Innsbruck, Austria and in Bischofshofen, also in Austria.