Stephen Allen and Jennifer Alen retained their titles in the Butterfield and Vallis 5K, although windy conditions dented their finishing times, which were slower than a year ago.

Allen and teenager Tyler Smith were the early leaders in the road race. It was 16-year-old Smith who took up the front running in the first mile before Allen ran alongside him for the middle part of the 3.1-mile race.

“Tyler made it a good race. He set it up nice in the first mile,” said Allen, 34, who won the Bermuda Marathon Weekend half-marathon last month.

“I caught up with him on Berkeley Road and we ran together for a while. Then I went ahead on North Shore Road.”

Before the race the defending champion thought he might go under 16 minutes, having won last year in 16min 5sec, however blustery winds on parts of the course were not conducive for fast times. He won in a time of 16:27.

“Because of the conditions I had to forget about doing a fast time,” Allen, who expects to run one race per month in the build up to the Bermuda Half Marathon Derby in May, said.

Bermuda High School student Smith was second in 17:06. Third overall was Kelly Guest, 38, in 17:38.

Also chalking up a second victory in two weeks was women’s champion Alen, 30. Last month she won the KPMG Front Street Mile local women’s race. Yesterday, she again proved her prowess in shorter road races, crossing the finish line in 19:36.

“It was hard work — it was a windy day,” she said. “Last year I ran 18:48, but this year it was slower and it felt harder.”

During the early stages of the race Alen, Deon Breary and Tamika Williams ran together. After the first mile Alen and Breary moved ahead along North Shore Road. Alen proved to be the stronger winning by 35 seconds from Breary, 44, who clocked 20:11. Laura Wright, 31, was third in 20:25.

There were 436 finishers in the 5K road race. Alen was twelfth overall. She said: “I’m getting back my endurance. I’m going to try for May 24 this year. Hopefully I can stay injury-free.”

Further down the field the mothers of Bermuda’s Olympic triathletes Tyler Butterfield and Flora Duffy both collected trophies in the women’s veterans’ division. Debbie Butterfield was the category winner in 24:34, with Maria Duffy a close second in 24:46.

The Senior School 5K race was run in conjunction with the adult race.

Smith, the overall runner-up in the main 5K, won the title. He was followed by Kaden Hopkins, of Saltus, in 20:16, and first girl Messiah Greaves, of BHS, in 20:56. Third boy was Christian Chin-Gurret, of BHS, in 23:03. Second senior school girl was Lynsey Palmer, of Saltus, in 21:21, followed by Laura Hope, also representing Saltus, in 23:35

The 5K competitive walk was won by Robert Thomas in 33:03, ahead of Sinclair Smith, who clocked 34:26, and Gary Young in 34:54. First woman was Sheena Young in 35:30, followed by Jaquita Ingham in 35:57 and Siena Bell in 36:04.

The Primary School 2.7K race was won by Tommy Marshall, of Saltus, in 10:18, followed by Yari Tucker in 10.35 and Daniel Larson in 10:43. The top three girls were Jade Johnson in 11:03, Jessica Bruton in 11:03 and Zoe Hasselkuss in 11:40.

The Middle School 2.7K race was won by Jayden Miing in 9:23, ahead of Ryan Outerbridge in 9:36 and first girl Ashley Irby in 9:43. Third boy was Quincy Kuzyk in 9:57. Second and third girls were Selah Tuzo in 10:25 and Holly Bruton in 11:10.

A total of 748 runners and walkers finished the various events.