She edged out Germany's Anne Haug (pictured top) to take her second straight victory on the series on a glorious afternoon in Japan.

Sarah Groff of the United States went in front early on, but it was the Netherland's Rachel Klamer who was ahead after the swim.

Australia's Emma Moffatt was also in the mix at the front as the bike leg began, and there were soon as many as 19 athletes in the lead group.

Yet the likes of Chile's Barbara Riveros Diaz and Haug, who had finished fourth in three races already this year but not reached the podium once, were not even among them as they fought to catch up.

By the start of the run a group of seven led the way including Norden, Haug, Moffatt, Riveros and Australia's Erin Densham, this summer's Olympic bronze medallist who was controversially selected over 2008 champion Emma Snowsill, and who leads the series at present.

The finish to the race was just as enthralling as that at this summer's Olympics, where Norden and Switzerland's Nicola Spirig ran toe to toe to and beyond the finish line, with the winner unclear in the immediate aftermath as they were given the same end time.

Spirig was then judged to have won by the narrowest of margins, leading to the case being taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as Sweden wanted gold shared between the pair.

Along with another Australian, Ashleigh Gentle, and Dutchwoman Maaike Caelers, Haug, Norden, Moffatt and Densham all sprinted for the line within a few metres of each other.

In the end it came down to Haug and Norden, and at first it looked like the Swede would miss out again but she caught up her German rival and seized the lead to win in 1 hour, 59min 7sec.

João Silva (centre) was triumphant in the men's race to claim his second successive win in Yokohama

This was her second title in Yokohama, after winning in 2009.

"It's the first major event after a couple of races that I did and I am getting into very good shape," said Norden.

"Coming to Japan with such a nice atmosphere and getting very well welcomed is so important for me.

"Maybe it is the sushi that works of my favour," she joked, after moving to within 30 points of Densham in the series rankings, at the same time extending her lead over third placed Spirig.

In the men's race, João Silva edged out double world champion Javier Gomez in the final lap to clinch his second successive win in Yokohama.

Slovakia's Richard Varga led the group out of the swim, with a group of Russians including Ivan Vasiliev, Igor Polyanskiy, Dmitry Polyanskiy and Denis Vasiliev, as well as Gomez, all in the mix.

A chase pack including New Zealand's Kris Gemmell, Silva's Portuguese compatriot João Pereira, Switzerland's Sven Riederer and France's Laurent Vidal caught up during the bike leg.

Towards the end of the cycle, Japan's Yuichi Hosoda and Gemmell attempted to breakaway from the pack but the ambitious move backfired.

Although they went 20 seconds ahead of the rest of the pack, Gomez, Silva, Vidal and France's Pierre Le Corre picked up the pace to catch them on the run.

Jonathan Brownlee (right, alongside brother Alistair), still leads the ITU World Series rankings

Gomez, who won silver in London this summer, soon moved six seconds clear of Polyanskiy and Silva.

It soon became an Iberian showdown as the Portuguese reined in the Spaniard, Silva beginning to catch up with Gomez in the last lap and a half.

Polyanskiy responded too but could not pick up enough pace to threaten the leaders, and Silva powered ahead of Gomez to clinch victory.

"I had a tough season with lots of injures in the beginning," Silva said afterwards.

"I'm glad I recovered in time for the Olympics and the end of the season.

"I'm really, really pleased with this result here.

"I'm really emotional as some of the best moments of my career are here so I'm really proud to perform like this in Yokohama."

Gomez's silver was his fourth in a row including the Olympic Games, still means that he closes the gap at the top of the rankings with Britain's Jonathan Brownlee, this summer's Olympic bronze medallist, to 180 points.

He remains well clear of Russia's Alexander Bryukhankov.

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