Stephen Allen made a winning return to road racing when he secured his first Bacardi 8K title yesterday, taking part in his first competitive race since May.

It took him exactly 28 minutes to complete the distance, while the fastest women, Karen Smith, came home in 34:20.

In perfect racing conditions, 241 runners and 58 walkers competed in the annual event, which is now in its eighth year.

In the early stages of the race Allen was part of a four-strong lead group, which also featured Christopher Harris, the eventual runner-up.

It was as the runners began a long climb out of Spanish Point, just after two miles, that Allen began to open up a lead.

In the remaining three miles of the race he increased the gap between himself and Harris to 58 seconds.

It was Allen’s first race since he finished third in the Appleby Bermuda Half Marathon Derby on May 26. “I’m getting back into training. I came out to see where I was,” said Allen, 34. “Twenty-eight minutes is not bad at all. It’s a work in progress.”

Second-placed Harris, 45, was also satisfied with his time of 28:58.

“He [Allen] got away from me on North Shore. I’m very pleased with how I ran. The conditions were nice and Bacardi and their volunteers do a great job with this race,” he said.

Harris competed in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii last month, as did Smith, 46, winner of the women’s title in yesterday’s Bacardi race.

She ran a steady, consistent pace, which gradually moved her clear of her nearest rivals.

Runner-up was another triathlon specialist, Julie Hawley, who spent ten months injured after competing in the 2013 World Ironman Championships.

Last month she just missed a podium place in the Xterra World Championships in Hawaii, finishing fourth in her age division in the triathlon event.

After finishing yesterday’s 8K in 35:22, she said: “I was trying to keep an even pace. I thought the first mile was hard as everyone went off so fast. After that I ran at an even pace.”

Hawley, 51, is aiming to compete in the half-marathon during January’s Bermuda Marathon Weekend.

Third in the women’s race was Kristen Palmer, 28, in 35:36, while Corey Brunton, 28, was third in the men’s race in 29:30. The 8K walk, which like the road race started and finished outside the Bacardi headquarters building on Pitts Bay Road, was won by Sylvester Jean-Pierre.

A formidable runner, the 56-year-old decided to try the race walk this year and won in a time of 52:42, ahead of Robert Thomas, 49, in 53:46 and Howard Williams, 44, in 54:08.

First woman to finish in the walk was Sheena Young, 51, in 57:42, followed by Gina Bradshaw, 57, in 60:12, and Lauretta Stoneham, 56, in 60:59.