Poland's Stoch makes it two in a row on large hill

By Mark Trevelyan

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (Reuters) - Kamil Stoch retained his large hill ski jump title with a dominant display on Saturday to become Poland's most successful Winter Olympic athlete.

With the final jump of the competition, Stoch secured victory over Germany's Andreas Wellinger, with Norway's Robert Johansson taking the bronze.

Stoch ended on 285.7 points, with Wellinger - winner of the normal hill a week ago - on 282.3 and Johansson, last week's bronze medallist, on 275.3.

Norway, with no gold in this event since 1964, held first, second and third positions through Johansson, Daniel Andre Tande and Johann Andre Forfang before Wellinger soared in front with a jump of 142 metres.

The German actually beat Stoch for distance in both rounds, but the winner is decided by a points score based on a combination of length and technique, adjusted for wind conditions and the starting gate chosen by the competitors.

Austria's Michael Hayboeck, second after the first round, faded to sixth place with a disappointing second jump.

Stoch's victory marked a return to form after he managed only fourth in the normal hill here a week ago.

The large hill, as the name suggests, is the more spectacular of the two, with athletes hurtling down a snow-covered 142 metre ramp before taking off at over 90 km/h, spreading their skis in a wide V to pick up as much wind-carry as possible, and soaring through the night air.

Stoch is the fourth ski jumper to win two Olympic gold medals on the large hill after Birger Ruud of Norway, Matti Nykanen of Finland and Simon Ammann of Switzerland, who finished 13th on Saturday.

Stefan Kraft of Austria, the world champion, trailed in 18th.

(Reporting by Mark Trevelyan; editing by Clare Lovell; editing by Clare Lovell)