Summary Jan Matura of the Czech Republic enjoyed his first career World Cup victory.
SAPPORO - Jan Matura of the Czech Republic enjoyed his first career World Cup victory when he won the 14th leg of the 28-round ski jumping series in Sapporo on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Czech, who has won three times in the Continental Cup in the past three years, leaped 132.0 metres in the first round and then 135.0m in the second for the best score of 249.5 points.
Tom Hilde of Norway was second with a mark of 248.8 points, followed by Robert Kranjec of Slovenia with 244.4 points.
Matura, whose previous best finish was sixth this season in Zakopane, Poland, in the 13th round, moved up to 20th place in the overall rankings on 208 points with the victory.
The World Cup points leader Gregor Schlierenzauer of Austria, who stayed away from the Sapporo event, kept the lead on 840 points, ahead of Anders Bardal of Norway on 705 points and Severin Freund of Germany on 601 points.
