The Naude twins completed their successful assault on the Bank of Bermuda Foundation?s triathlon series yesterday, sweeping the team title with a ?Legge? up from a friend.

Having placed second and third respectively in last Sunday?s individual event, Riaan and Evan combined with Scottish swimmer John Legge for a crushing triumph in the team event.

Entrusted to handle the six-mile run ? the final stage of their mission ? Evan crossed the finish line in 34 minutes flat to seal victory in a team time of one hour, 31 minutes, 45 seconds.

His twin and Legge justifiably celebrated the outcome, having put in their fair share of work earlier. The latter was among the lead pack in a mile-long swim in Hamilton Harbour and emerged second from the water in 21.06. He tagged Riaan who was eager to start his 15-mile, six-lap contribution on the bike.

Trailing veteran cyclist Kent Richardson ? whose team-mate Trevor Johnston led all swimmers (20.16) ? Riaan set about his task, clinically cutting into Richardson?s advantage lap by lap.

By the end of the third lap at Albuoy?s Point, Riaan was only 50 or 60 metres adrift of Richardson and, by the fourth lap, the South African was ahead and steadily strengthening his commanding position.

Ultimately, he clocked 36.39 for his bike and gifted Evan with a handy 50-second lead. Thereafter, it was all over bar the shouting.

The battle for second was a much different proposition as Mark Morrison, the runner in the Johnston-Richardson set-up, was pushed all the way by a gutsy Neil de ste Croix who made up more than 70 seconds on the first five laps of the run to overhaul Morrison at the beginning of the sixth and final lap.

However, the effort to catch Morrison told on de ste Croix (who partnered Ian Maule and Garth Thompson) and the former, who cruised for much of his run, produced a stunning finishing kick which his rival failed to answer in the final 100 metres.

Morrison?s team placed second in 1:36.34 while de ste Croix grabbed third spot for his side in 1:36.37.

?It was nice competing as a team with my brother instead of racing against him,? said Riaan. ?John gave us a very good swim. He was up with the lead pack and on the bike I pushed as hard as I could in the beginning to get up with Kent Richardson.?

?I managed to do that and in the last two laps I managed to pull away and give Evan a 50-second gap to start the run,? added Riaan, noting that the blustery conditions almost blew him off his bike on the first lap.

His 28-year-old twin, Evan, was initially concerned about Morrison but quickly realised his lead was enough of a cushion from the talented runner.

Legge, in his first serious competition since relocating to Bermuda, was all smiles about the result.

?I knew there were some great swimmers and the waves were a bit choppy but not as bad as I expected. I knew that once I was there or thereabouts in the lead pack we would have a good chance of winning,? noted the Scotsman.

Richardson, preparing for the upcoming Caribbean Cycling Championships, attributed his side?s second place to outstanding teamwork.

?It was really good. Trevor had a fantastic swim and I took it out really hard on the bike but hats off to Riaan. He was smoking out there and just ripping it on the bike and he caught me.

?I tried to keep my head together, focus and do the best job I could.

?Mark was awesome. His finishing kick was great and that was a huge difference,? noted the 45-year-old.

Morrison, 20, explained that, as he was unsure of de ste Croix?s tactics and fitness, he ?just waited it out? before sprinting the final stretch of the course.

Garth Thompson said he, Maule and de ste Croix were ?really happy? to be third among such tough company.

?We had a great race. Ian put in a great swim and I was steady on the bike and Neil, who I know has been focusing on his cycling this year, got out there and ran his pants off.

?We?re really happy with our placing,? said the cyclist.

Some young guns also showed their mettle as cyclist Khamari Greaves and triathlete Coyatito Smith joined with swimmer Nick Strong to be fourth in 1:40.42 while Jason Mastalir, Geoffrey Smith and Taijaun Talbot were fifth in 1:42.18.

The team triathlon threw up some interesting combinations of either all-round triathletes or specialist competitors in the three disciplines. The latter proved a winning option in the women?s race as 13-year-old Rebecca Sharpe showcased her swimming ability before leaving it to cycling and road-racing veterans, Melanie Claude and Anna Eatherley respectively, to stamp their class on the proceedings.

They duly obliged and queen-of-the-road Eatherley coolly crossed the finish for a team time of 1:43.09 to wrest the women?s crown and place seventh overall.

Hayley Hill, Julia Hawley and Karen Smith were runners-up in the women?s division (tenth overall) in 1:46.14 while Amanda Petty joined with sisters Deanna and Kim McMullen for third (13th overall) in 1:47.55.

?We had an excellent swimmer on our team. Rebecca Sharpe was the first woman out of the water and then Melanie had a great cycle. When I started I was a long way ahead and I knew I was a lap ahead (of most other women?s teams) so I was just out there running.

?My team-mates did the work and not so much me,? said a modest Eatherley.

Known for her road-running prowess, she noted the main difference in combining for this tri-sport event was that other people were depending on her.

?It makes you work harder because you know other people have worked hard to put you in the place you?re at. If you?re starting to lose concentration you refocus because you know your two team-mates have done their part,? said Eatherley.

Sharpe was pleased to be in winners? row but admitted she was a bit nervous and felt pressure to get her team off to a solid start.

?Coming up the first stretch was really wavy and I couldn?t even see the buoy so I just kept swimming as hard as I could and it turned out well,? recalled the young swimmer.

Hawley, who was second in the women?s individual triathlon, was happy to have done equally well in the team tussle.

?We put our team together very late. We just got together a couple days ago but we were competitive. I knew Mel?s team was very strong and would be the ones to beat. We had a lot of fun. We did well and we?re pleased,? she said.

Meanwhile, Mike Cash, Chris Lynch and Mark Wilcox of Renaissance Re Holding were the top corporate team, placing sixth overall in 1:43.01 while the trio of Paul Viney, Richard Mason and Andrew Doble won the Masters division in 1:45.28 (eighth overall).