Catharine Pendrel and Emily Batty, both from Canada, took first and second place in the Women’s cross country mountain biking at the Commonwealth games in Glasgow.

Pendrel won the 32K race in 1 hour 39 minutes and 29 seconds. She was ahead of her team-mate, Batty, by more than a minute. Bronze went to Australia’s Rebecca Henderson.

The tough course which takes competitors over rocks, sharp bends, dirt track, woodlands and grass has to be lapped six times and Pendrel lead the from the start.

England’s Annie Last and Alice Barnes came fourth and fifth respectively.

Barnes said to the BBC “I had no expectations coming into the race so I’m really happy with it. The course is really fun and flowing so you’ve got to remember that you’re racing as well as just enjoying the course.”

Moutain biking cross country is back after an eight year gap when Canada dominated in both the women’s and men’s races.

In the men’s race Canada’s Max Plaxton was leading for the majority of the race when he fell behind leaving Anton Cooper, 19, and Samuel Gaze, 18, of New Zealand to take home the gold and silver. Bronze went to Australian Daniel McConnell, 28. Plaxton came in fourth.

Cooper who was leading took off in the closing minutes of the race. Gaze who was behind McConnell followed suit leaving the Australian behind to claim bronze.

Scotland’s Grant Ferguson, 20, came fifth and England’s Liam Killeen, 32, came in sixth.