York Acorn Running Club produced an excellent team performance by winning the Leeds Country Way Relay.

The event is run over 64 miles on the paths, roads and trails around Leeds, starting and finishing at Garforth with teams consisting of six pairs.

In a field of 38 teams, Acorn's strength was highlighted by all their pairs being in the fastest three teams for their leg.

Andy Normandale and Paul Goble gave the club an excellent start by coming in first on the opening leg to Stanley in 72 minutes and 40 seconds.

Andy Burt and Dave Chaplin then briefly lost the lead on the second leg to Batley despite a creditable 72-50.

Mike Raynes and Andy Hilton then ran the crucial leg of the whole race to Thornbury, and in recording 65-24 built up a lead of over five minutes.

Club captain Bob Duncan and Steve Simpson then stretched this on the longest leg to Golden Acre Park with a fastest leg time of 76-13 before passing on to Jerry Barnes and Andy Neeson, whose 63-08 time was second fastest on their leg.

With a buffer of nearly five minutes Martin Lawn and Paul Lewis cruised home to Garforth to win by around three minutes and 30 seconds in six hours and 54 minutes.

It was the first time that Acorn had won the event in almost a decade and set the men's team up for both the Yorkshire and Northern relays which take place later in the month.

In the Gribdale Gallop fell race, Steve Mummery finished 18th from a field of 66 runners for the Acorn Club in one hour 33-00.

Over-50 veteran Phil Paxman was 19th in 1-07-00 and, backed by team-mates Mike Hetherton 24th in 1-02-22 and Geoff Binns 57th in 1-12-25, they were fifth team out of the nine teams competing.

The race was won by Middlesbrough AC's M Cara in 50-53 and C Hare of Loftus AC was first woman in 57-25.

Updated: 12:36 Tuesday, September 10, 2002