Yuki Ito, Kaori Iwabuchi, Yuka Seto and overall individual World Cup champion Sara Takanashi combined to superb effect in Hinterzarten in Germany.

They recorded a tally of 956.0 points to win, helped by big jumps of 105 metres from Ito and 104.5m from Iwabuchi.

"This is something very special for us because it was the first team event," said Ito, who also recorded a leap of 104m on an impressive day.

"We are very happy."

Russia finished second as Irina Avvakumova, Anastasiya Barannikova, Alexandra Kustova and Sofia Tikhonova scored 863.7 points.

Avvakumova recorded a huge leap of 108m which was a hill record before it was later beaten by Norway's Maren Lundby, who managed 109m as her team finished seventh.

France's Lucile Morat, Lea Lemare, Julia Clair and Romane Dieu were third on 846.4 points.

This meant that hosts Germany, featuring individual World Cup leader Katharina Althaus, had to settle for fourth.

Carina Vogt, Juliane Seyfarth and Svenja Wuerth also jumped for the Germans as they scored 836.5.

They could have challenged the top three but Wuerth fell during the first round and had to withdraw from her remaining jumps.

An individual World Cup will be held in Hinterzarten tomorrow with Althaus, the top qualifier, looking to make it three victories in a row.

In men's action, Anders Fannemel became the first Norwegian to top the podium as he triumphed in Engelberg in Switzerland.

The 26-year-old's leaps of 133m and 127.5m were enough for victory on 253.6 points.

It meant that Germany's Richard Freitag, looking for a third World Cup win in four, had to settle for second after scoring 253.5.

He jumped 124.5m and 129.5m.

Poland's double Olympic champion Kamil Stoch came third, jumping 125.5m and 129m for 250.8 points.

Freitag still tops the World Cup standings, with 450 points to his name.

A second individual event will be held in Engelberg tomorrow.