to overall victory in yesterday's Deloitte and Touche Road Relay at the USNAS in St. David's.

But while Lopes, better known for his marathon exploits, clocked the second fastest time of the day (14.36) over the three-mile loop course -- only Wright (14.25) was faster -- he owed much to his firefighting team-mates who built up a commanding lead going into the final leg.

"Outsider'' Neil Halliday, a former Bank of Butterfield Mile champion who came in as a late replacement for fireman Steven Caines, finished the opening leg just four seconds behind Wright's team-mate Michael Donawa (15.07) of the aptly named Hot Steppers.

And from that point it was always going to be a two-horse race.

Colin Swan (15.31), taking over from Halliday, quickly put Flamers in front as he passed and then built up a 30 second lead over Miguel Butterfield.

And when Roger Dill (14.50) surged to only the fourth sub-15 minute loop of the race, outpacing Hot Steppers' Jamal Hart (15.13) it was left to Lopes to wrap up the victory.

Flamers finished in a combined time of 1:00.08 with Hot Steppers just 43 seconds behind.

In a field of close to 50 teams, the AS&K law firm quartet of James Keyes, David Doyle, Cal Steede and Neil De Ste. Croix finished powerfully to claim third place in 1:04.05.

Winners of the Mixed team title Two Beauties and Two Beasts, like the overall champions, were forced to make a late change, bringing in Gary Taylor for the injured Jeremy Ball, but still led from almost start to finish.

After an impressive run by Karen Adams, Maria Conroy Haydon, then Taylor and finally top master Harry Patchett, the team romped home by more than five minutes over the second-placed mixed foursome MAAC Attack (Peter Lever, Kim Mason, Jane Christie and Geoffrey Blee). Berkeley Institute, as expected, dominated the boys' school division, their number one team of Colin Anderson, Garon Wilkinson, Jelani Scott and Damon Ming placing a noteworthy sixth overall in 1:06.24. Their second string of Kaiwon Dill, Shannon Lawrence, Trace McIntosh and Dube Swan followed in 1:11.04.

A poorly-attended schoolgirls' division saw the Berkeley Striders (Patrina Swan, Karimah Saltus, Sushema Robinson, Waynesha Bean) nip their only rivals from Bermuda High School by a mere second.

Just five teams entered the all-female division, but what made Bermuda Strollers' overwhelming victory all the more formidable was that the team actually consisted of eight competitors -- mother pushing child on each leg.

Jeanna Jones led off by propelling baby Kyle to an early lead, former triathlon champion Mary Hopkins followed with daughter Morgan, Sandy Lund kept the wheels turning furiously with baby Connor and Donna Mae Fletcher with son Julian capped a memorable triumph as they rolled home in 1:24.36, more than four minutes ahead of the next female team, Petit Fours.

Just two Base teams did battle in the NAS division, with the Wrens outrunning the Falcon Flyers.

Full results in tomorrow's Gazette .

STROLLING ALONG -- Jeanna Jones and son Kyle (left) hand over to Mary Hopkins and daughter Morgan as they help their Bermuda Strollers team to first place in the all-female category of yesterday's relay.

OUT IN FRONT -- Michael Donawa (116) of Hot Steppers leads Police runner Quinnel Robinson as he takes his team into an early lead in yesterday's Deloitte and Touche relay.