The Slovenian, aiming to secure his second World Cup podium of the season after finishing third in Engelberg earlier this month, recorded 138.6 points after jumping 139 metres.

Halvor Egner Granerud, who is looking to bounce back after Karl Geiger of Germany ended his five-leg winning streak in Oberstdorf earlier this week when the Four Hills Tournament began, jumped further than Lanišek with a leap of 143m.

But the Norwegian received fewer markers from the judges as he registered 138.1 points to finish second.

Germany’s Markus Eisenbichler, who won the opening two legs of the season, came third in qualifying with 137.9 after landing 135.5m.

Austrian Stefan Kraft, the reigning World Cup champion, finished fourth while Geiger - who is on a high after winning in Oberstdorf - came fifth.

Three Polish ski jumpers - Kamil Stoch, Dawid Kubacki and Andrzej Stękała - also featured in the top 10 along with Japan’s Ryōyū Kobayashi and Norway’s Johann André Forfang.

The Poles almost missed the competition in Oberstdorf following a coronavirus scare.

Norwegian Marius Lindvik, who won the Garmisch-Partenkirchen event last year and claimed bronze in Oberstdorf, was reportedly forced to withdraw due to toothache.

The second round of the Four Hills Tournament and ninth FIS Ski Jumping World Cup leg of the season is due to take place tomorrow.

The Four Hill Tournament is set to be completed in Austria, with competitions scheduled to be held in Innsbruck on January 3 and Bischofshofen on January 6.