CHARLOTTE MASON was crowned York & District Road Race League women’s champion after her fourth successive victory of the summer.

The City of York athlete’s win in round five at a wet Bishop Wilton means no other woman can overtake her, with runners’ best four races from six counting for individual prizes.

There was much talk on the night about the revised course which meant part of the traditionally testing 10km route took runners off road.

But this could not upset the consistent Mason, who stayed clear of her nearest rival Nik Tarrega (York Knavesmire Harriers) to take victory in 40 minutes 41 seconds.

Ian Ellwood (York Postal Harriers) eventually edged clear of Chris Poulton (York Acorn), who was crowned champion after round four, to claim the men’s honours in 37.28.

The difficulty of the course, with runners this year heading up Givendale Hill, meant the respective winning times were three minutes slower than in the previous round.

Tarrega clocked 40.52, with clubmate Emily Baines (43.56) completing the women’s top three.

Samantha Davies (Easingwold) took fourth overall in 44.16 and, with this, sealed the women’s Vet 35 age group title - improving on her 2018 runner-up spot.

Knavesmire’s Natalie Greaves (46.54) and Selby Striders’ Paula Fenteman (47.26) were fifth and sixth. This latter trio were the top three V35 women on the night.

Knavesmire’s Katharine Jeffreys (50.08) was the leading V45 lady, which means the battle for that title will go down to the final round at Wistow.

Tadcaster’s Claire Tucker (52.55) was second, ahead of Knavesmire’s Qin Zhou (55.02).

With Knavesmire’s Jet Jon Shepherd having already sealed the V55 women’s title last time out, Acorn’s Gill Boynton (53.33) took victory at Bishop Wilton.

Tadcaster Harriers’ Carol Walmsley (56.56) finished second, ahead of Easingwold’s Sally-Anne Lardner (58.30).

Already the V65 women’s champion, Knavesmire’s Mary Farmery (59.18) made it five wins in a row.

While Ellwood and Poulton (37.36) were always contesting the lead in the men’s race, Knavesmire’s David Smithers (38.44) worked his way up to third place.

This meant Smithers was the first V40 man home and he would seal that age group title if he finishes second or better in the final round.

Acorn’s Paul Whitaker (38.48), another V40, was fourth, ahead of Knavesmire’s Jon Pinder (38.51) and Tadcaster’s Ryan Kavanagh (39.35).

Selby’s Ian Robertson (39.40) was third in the V40 category.

The V50 men’s title could come down to a straight shootout between Pocklington’s Graham Justice and York Triathlon’s Ian Martin in the final round.

This is because Justice (41.53) took victory ahead of Martin (42.23) on the night, meaning the pair are currently tied on points.

Easingwold’s Mark Whiteman was third in 43.28.

Stephen Boynton’s dominance of the V60 men’s category continued with a fifth straight win for the age group champion.

The Acorn man clocked 45.13 to head off clubmates David Muckersie (47.42) and David Lancaster (48.38).

There was a familiar ring to the V70 podium as champion, Pickering’s Michael Hetherton (54.29) collected his fifth straight win, followed by Knavesmire’s David l’Anson (58.19) and Acorn’s Mike Tasker (65.44).

Victories on the night meant Knavesmire retained their men’s and women’s team titles, with clubs’ best five races from six counting.

Acorn and Pocklington completed the men’s podium, while Pocklington pipped Tadcaster for second in the women’s.