The Japanese star pulled off a brilliant pair of jumps to score 291.2 points overall to narrowly beat Markus Eisenbichler of Germany to the gold in his home country.

The win keeps Kobayashi's Four Hills grand slam hopes alive after he won in Oberstdorf.

Competitions in Innsbruck and Bischofen await in the mini tournament that is contested alongside the World Cup.

Slovenia's Lovro Kos took third place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen with 286 points after recording the best jump of the second round to claim the first podium finish of his career.

"Today it was really hard competition so I really liked to come out with the win," Kobayashi said.

"My first jump was a big jump and my second one was not as big but still a good one."

Should Kobayashi complete the grand slam, it will be the second of his career after doing so in the 2018-2019 season - and it would be the third in the past five seasons.

Before that, there had been just one Grand Slam in 64 years by Germany's Sven Hannawald in 2001-2002.

Kobayashi now has 696 points in the overall standings as he finally caught up to Geiger, who finished in a disappointing seventh place with a score of 265.0,

He has 675 points in the standings, some way ahead of third-placed Norwegian Halvor Egner Granerud on 473 points.

Athletes will travel to Austria for the next event at the Bergiselschanze Ski Jump in Innsbruck.