YORK Acorn Running Club finished in a creditable 22nd place at the Calderdale Way Relays over 60 miles of fells around the hills of Halifax.

In an event won by Bingley Harriers, Acorn suffered an early setback on the first leg between Copley and Cragg Vale, when Andy Bissell suffered a back injury.

Bissell battled through with his team-mate Steve Simpson to earn 27th place of 93 starters.

Mike Raynes then pulled back seven places with Jerry Barnes to 20th on the leg to Todmorden, before Mark Bilton and Andy Burt gained another three places on the uphill leg to Blackshaw Head.

The strong veterans pairing of Andy Normandale and Bob Duncan were undone on the long moorland leg to Wainstalls. An injury to Normandale ensured they lost three places.

Further problems followed on the next leg as fog descended and Joseph Lowe and Steve Ratcliffe lost ten minutes and seven places on the last leg.

In the final race of the Yorkshire Veterans' League, York Acorn's men completed a fine season by earning third spot in the league based over nine races.

Acorn were only beaten by winners Wakefield and second-placed Holmfirth.

Acorn's squad were led home by Jerry Barnes, sixth, with Andy Normandale eighth, John Duston 17th, Les Burton 27th, Bob Duncan 33rd and Paul Young 49th.

The new veteran season starts at South Leeds Stadium on January 13.

In the Christmas Cracker 10K road race, veteran Dave Lancaster led six team-mates home for the York Acorn Club in 36min 31sec finishing 31st out of a field of 255 competitors.

In a neck and neck finish, just over a second separated Lancaster, Neil Scruton (Scarborough AC) 36-30 and Gosforth Harriers' Mike Walker 36-32.

Stephen Hepples of Loftus AC won in 30-47. Scarborough AC's Rowan Smith took the women's title in 35-03. Other York Acorn times were: Colin Utterson 40-55, Dave Elliott 47-14, John Tattersall 48-31, Julie Hills 50-52, Shane Greenaway 50-55 and Helen Linklaker 56-38.

Updated: 12:12 Wednesday, December 19, 2001