BEN JONES and Helen Cross claimed the spoils in the opening York and District Road Race League fixture at a wet and windy Pocklington.

Jones (University of York) held off Phil Elliott-Dick (York Knavesmire Harriers) by four seconds to take first place in a tight 10k race contest which saw six runners in contention until the latter stages.

Cross (York Triathlon Club) had a more comfortable victory in the women’s race, finishing almost a minute ahead of Charlotte Mason (City of York).

Jones, the 2014 series runner-up, clocked 34 minutes six seconds, with Elliott-Dick (34-10) and City of York’s Oliver Cockerill (34-15) completing the men’s top three.

Elliott-Dick was the first veteran 40 athlete home, with Knavesmire’s Barry Atkinson (39-04) the top vet 50 and York Acorn’s Steve Boynton (39-31) the leading vet 60.

Cross, the champion in 2011 and 2010, clocked 36-56 and was also the top vet 35 woman.

Mason (37-52) and City of York team-mate Emma Ballantyne (37-55) completed the podium places.

Karen Wood (City of York) was the first vet 45 woman home in 43-41, while Jane Nodder (Knavesmire) took the vet 55 spoils in 46-38.

Knavesmire were the top men’s and women’s teams on the night, maintaining the form that saw them both crowned champions last year.