Stoch, who leads the overall standings by 15.2 points, put himself in prime position for tomorrow's contest in Bischofshofen in Austria after finishing with a score of 142.9, marginally ahead of the Norwegian pair Robert Johansson and Halvor Egner Granerud.

All three were separated by just 0.7 points, while Austrian duo Stefan Kraft and Daniel Huber were not far behind either, respectively 2.2 and 2.8 points off Stoch to complete the top five.

Stoch, who won in the last event in Innsbruck, currently holds a 15.2-point lead over compatriot Dawid Kubacki, who finished sixth in qualification.

Kubacki won in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and is marginally ahead of Granerud in the silver-medal position. 

He is also the reigning Four Hills champion, but will need to have a strong performance tomorrow to take the lead away from three-time Olympic champion Stoch.

Karl Geiger of Germany, who won in Obertsdorf and sits fourth in the overall standings, did not put in a performance that would make him confident tomorrow.

Geiger could only finish 25th, while another top Four Hills performer so far, Poland's Piotr Żyła, similarly struggled in 28th.

Fifth in the series standings, Germany's Markus Eisenbichler was solid in eighth, behind Austria's Michael Hayböck in seventh.

Norway's Marius Lindvik, who missed the last two legs due to toothache, returned in decent form and qualified down in 15th place. 

In his only other Four Hills event this season in Oberstdorf, Lindvik won the bronze medal.

All Four Hills Tournament events are also legs of the International Ski Federation Ski Jumping World Cup