Ammann edges closer to World Cup title with seventh win

SIMON Ammann edged closer to sealing his first career Ski Jumping World Cup title as he recorded his seventh victory of the season in Kuopio, Finland.

EDGING CLOSER: Simon Ammann's golden season is nearly complete as the double Olympic champion closed in on the overall World Cup title (Getty Images)

The Swiss jumper, who struck double gold for the normal and large hill at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver last month, led by 5.5 after his first jump before consolidating the win with his second effort.

Ammann eventually finished on 251, beating second-placed Adam Malysz by 16.1 with Norway's Anders Jacobsen another 0.2 back.

The 28-year old, who finished 307 points behind Austria's Gregor Schlierenzauer in the overall World Cup standings last season, has been untouchable since February, with Tuesday's victory his fifth win from five events including his two golden Olympic performances.

Schlierenzauer, who lies second in the World Cup standings and remains the only person who can catch Ammann, won the single competition the Swiss did not enter in February.

But the young Austrian has failed to medal since scooping a gold and two bronzes at his debut Olympics.

And having finished fourth in Lahti on Sunday, Schlierenzauer slumped to 11th in Kuopio, picking up 24 points, and now trails Ammann by 183 with two events remaining.