FORMER National duathlon champion Paul Lowe scored the first victory for newly-named Middlesbrough AC (Mandale) when he won the Bydales ten-mile road race at Marske

The Great Britain international won the opening event in the New Marske Harriers road race series in 53 mins 28 seconds, beating Hartlepool Burn Road's Mark Armstrong by 58 seconds. Another Burn Road runner, Paul Kelly, finished third (55.20) to take the over-40 title.

First woman home was Middlesbrough and Cleveland's Carolyn Summersgill, runner-up in this season's North Yorkshire and South Durham Harrier League, who beat international ultra-distance specialist Sharon Gayter, of the host club, by over four minutes, clocking 66 mins 17 secs.

The next race in the series is the Spring Coast Road 5K, also from Bydales School, on April 23.

* Richmond and Zetland Harriers pulled off a surprise victory in the final event of the NYSD Harrier League season when their senior men beat favourites Loftus AC in the Road Relay Championships at Redcar.

James and Scott Wardman put the Richmond team into second place, then John Aspel and Ken Harker staved off a strong challenge from a Loftus team which included newly-crowned NYSD champion Stephen Hepples.

Loftus made a disappointing start, finishing in eighth place on the first of the four legs, but Kevin Patterson hoisted them into fourth place before Hepples recorded the fastest leg over the two-mile circuit, 9 mins 19 secs.

Veteran John Hunter tried valiantly to catch Harker, cutting his lead by three seconds with the fastest over-40 run of 9 mins 41 secs, but Richmond and Zetland finished 13 seconds clear.

Hartlepool Burn Road, who briefly led after the second leg, finished in third place.

The women's relay was won by Loftus, with junior triathlon international Catherine Hare making up four places with the fastest under-20 run of 11 mins 18 seconds and anchor-leg runner Angharod Owen, another junior, went into the lead to beat Middlesbrough and Cleveland veteran Elizabeth Dasey by 18 seconds.

NYSD senior women's cross country champion Bernadette Taylor ran the fastest senior leg of 11 mins 5 secs and although Joanne Short maintained the lead by clocking the fastest over-35 veteran's time of 11.47, Darlington slipped to fifth place on the final circuit.

Men: 1 P Lowe (Middlesbrough) 53 mins 28 secs; 2 M Armstrong (Hartlepool Burn Road) 54.26; 3 P Kelly (HBR M40) 55.20; 4 M Grainger (Darlington) 56.12; 5 P Lewis (Middlesbrough) 58.00; 6 R Simpson (Billingham Marsh House) 58.55; 7 M Siddall (Pocklington) 59.29; 8 D Middlemas (Loftus) 61.15.M50 M Frostick (HBR) 62.12; M60 R Sherwood (New Marske) 71.03.

Women: 1 C Summersgill (Middlesbrough and Cleveland) 66.15; 2 S Gayter (New Marske W35) 70.45; 3 J Ross (Jarrow and Hebburn W35); 4 V Hancock (Durham City W55) 71.15; 5 H Humphrey (New Marske W35) 71.51.

NYSD Road Relay Championships (Locke Parke, Redcar): Men (4 x 2m): 1 Richmond and Zetland (J Wardman 9.43, S wardman 10.43, J Aspel 9.48, K Harker 9.44) 39 mins 22 secs; 2 Loftus (T Herbert 10.22, K Patterson 10.13, S Hepples 9.19, J Hunter 9.41) 39.35; 3 Hartlepool Burn Road 41.08; 4 Darlington 41.53; 5 New Marske 41.57. Fastest time: S Hepples 9.19.

Veteran Men: 1 Richmond and Zetland (I Scott 10.36, M Brooks 11.30, C Peacock 10.31, P Zissler 12.32) 45.09; 2 Quakers 46.37; 3 Teesdale 46.41. Fastest: J Hunter 9.41.

Under-17 Boys (3 x 2m): 1 Middlesbrough A 31.45; 2 Middlesbrough B 33.56; 3 Shildon 34.03. Fastest: M Bell (Newton Aycliffe) 10.22.

Under-15 Boys (3 x 1m): 1 Quakers A 15.36; 2 Shildon A 16.43; 3 Quakers B 16.53. Fastest: A Duffield (Loftus) 4.56.

Under-13 Boys (3 x 1m): 1 Shildon 16.04; 2 Scarborough 17.23; 3 New Marske 18.49. Fastest: P Wilson (Shildon) 5.15.

Women (3 x 2m): 1 Loftus (R Lightfoot 12.08, C Jhare 11.18, A Owen 11.48) 35.14; 2 Middlesbrough and Cleveland (K Matthew 11.40, C Summersgill 11.27, E Dasey 12.25) 35.32; 3 Knavesmire 35.55; 4 Nestle Rowntree 37.08; 5 Darlington 37.34. Fastest: B Taylor (Darl) 11.05; U20 C Hare 11.18; Vet J Short (Darl) 11.47.

Under-15 Girls (3 x 1m): 1 New Marke 17.10; 2 Middlesbrough and Cleveland 17.22; 3 Scarborough 17.46. Fastest: S Hart (New Marske) 5.26.

Under-13 Girls: 1 Scarborough 17.40; 2 Nestle Rowntree 17.48; 3 Richmond and Zetland 17.56. Fastest: A Johnson (Scar) 5.46