With 20 men breaking 17 minutes on Wednesday, the John Carr Series is firmly back as one of Yorkshire’s premier 5k races.

Will Nottidge (Baildon Runners) secured the Junior Male series title at Esholt with a time of 18min 34sec in the last event.

Nottidge’s performances promise much, as he only turned to running last summer.

Tom Adams (Ilkley Harriers) won the series overall in a cumulative time of 46min 28sec but he was again denied a race victory in this final race by Bradford-Airedale’s Ethiopian star, Yared Hagos, who broke the 15-minute barrier, cruising home in 14min 55sec.

Will Smith (Keighley & Craven) who has had a torrid time with injuries over recent months was an excellent third (15min 35sec).

Andy Brown secured the runners-up spot overall with three runs all within three seconds of his fastest time (16min 10sec), pushing Spenborough AC’s Kevin Ogden into third.

Jo Buckley (Bingley) won the final ladies’ race in 17min 25 sec, nine seconds ahead of Helen Glover (Keighley & Craven).

Buckley’s win guaranteed overall victory ahead of Leeds City duo Emily Birchall and Jess Nixon.

Local clubs enjoyed individual success in the various age categories as Sue Coates (Baildon) won the women’s over-60 category while Otley’s Jacqueline Ackroyd took the F50 title, Andrea Dennison (Bingley) the F45, and Lucy Williamson (Ilkley) first female junior.

In the male age-groups, Bingley veteran Gerry Bell was first over-60 overall, Nick Pearce (Ilkey) first M55; likewise Steve Raby (Horsforth) M50, Nigel Bedell (Keighley) M45 and Iain Manfield (Abbey) M40.

The latest Lister Park 5k Run on Saturday drew 86 runners.

Samantha Anderson (20min 39sec) won on her debut, leaving regulars Marisol Carrera (Bingley) and Claire Smith in second and third respectively.

Debutant Chris Williams managed fourth in the men’s in 18min 40sec. Williams was joined in the top ten by a trio of unattached runners managing course best times, in the shape of Chris Neesham, Nick Trinder and James Wilkinson, ahead of Damian Pearson (Baildon), whose 20min 43sec was also a course best.

Queensbury runner Raymond Hall, who represents Halifax Harriers, was a clear winner of the over-65’s age group in the Copenhagen Marathon.

Hall’s time of 3:11:29 was some 24 minutes clear of the next over 65 runner. This places him at the top of the over-65s UK rankings for 2011 in the marathon.