Japan’s Sara Takanashi will continue her quest to defend the women’s FIS Ski Jumping World Cup title this weekend ©Getty Images

Japan’s Sara Takanashi will continue her quest to defend the women’s International Ski Federation (FIS) Ski Jumping World Cup title this weekend as the 2016-17 season resumes in Oberstdorf in Germany.

The 20-year-old leads the overall World Cup standings by 110 points going into the fifth race of the campaign.

She has won three of the previous four, including two victories at the season opener in Norwegian town Lillehammer and success in the second of two competitions in Russian city Nizhny Tagil.

Takanashi’s only slight blip came in the first competition in Nizhny Tagil as she finished third behind winner Maren Lundby of Norway and runner-up Daniela Iraschko-Stolz of Austria.

Iraschko-Stolz is second in the overall World Cup standings, 110 points behind Takanashi.

Yuki Ito, Takanashi’s compatriot, is a further eight points back in third.

Austria's Daniela Iraschko-Stolz is Sara Takanashi's closest challenger in the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup standings ©Getty Images
Austria's Daniela Iraschko-Stolz is Sara Takanashi's closest challenger in the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup standings ©Getty Images

Qualifying in Oberstdorf is due to take place tomorrow and will be followed by competition days on Saturday (January 7) and Sunday (January 8).

Takanashi won the two equivalent competitions in 2016 on her way to claiming her third overall World Cup crown.

The Japanese came out on top in 14 of the 17 events held last season to add to her overall successes from the 2012-13 and 2013-14 campaigns.

Following the stop in Oberstdorf, action then moves to Takanashi’s home country with competitions in Sapporo on January 14 and 15.