Great start for Buchanan at MTB worlds

Australia's defending champion Caroline Buchanan qualified fastest for the the women's four cross final at the 2010 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada.

Countrywoman Sarsha Huntington was ninth, almost six seconds off the pace set by Buchanan.

In the men's four cross event, reigning world champion Jared Graves, of Australia, could only manage 29th in qualifying, finishing almost nine-and-a-half seconds behind top qualifier Roger Rinderknecht of Switzerland.

Fellow Aussies, David Habicht, Randal Huntington and Richard Levinson were 13th, 21st and 24th respectively.

In the women's Under 23 cross country final, Australia's Gracie Elvin was 20th while Therese Rhodes was well of the pace and a lap down.

Sweden's Alexandra Engen won the gold medal ahead of Great Britain's Annie Last and Poland's Paula Gorycka.