Kraft managed to jump 135.5 metres and 139m to get 283.5 points to get the top prize in the Japanese city.

This was his fourth victory on the Okurayama hill in Sapporo and 27th World Cup win of his career.

"I am very very happy, my jumps were very good today and I had the necessary luck that you just always need in Sapporo," Kraft said after the win.

"I was very aggressive today and I will be the same again in the third competition tomorrow.

"This hill and this ice inrun here are just great."

Norway's Halvor Egner Granerud also changed the colour of his medal from bronze yesterday to silver.

The 2021 World Championships jumped 129.5m and 132m to get 277.9 points overall.

Local hero and yesterday's winner Ryoyu Kobayashi took the final place on the podium.

He scored 276.1 points with efforts of 129m and 137.5m.

Overall World Cup leader Dawid Kubacki from Poland finished fourth, scoring 264.8 points.

Kraft’s compatriots Daniel Tschofenig and Manuel Fettner finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

The last of the three Ski Jumping World Cups in Sapporo is scheduled to take place tomorrow.