RUNNING rivals Emma Yates and Emma Willetts will battle it out for the York Ten-kilometre Series title in the final race at Selby next week.

Yates was a comfortable winner of the fifth race in the series at Bishop Wilton, but whoever edges the final race on Tuesday, July 10 will be crowned champion.

The men’s series is also going down to the wire, with triathlete David Thomas poised to take the crown, but he must run at Selby or Chris Roberts will snatch first place.

Yates was in the lead group at the start of the women’s event and she was far too strong for Willetts, winning in a time of 40 minutes 45 seconds.

Willetts was second ahead of a tight battle for third between Andrea Lancaster and the much-improved Sarah Douglas.

Lancaster pulled away from Douglas in the last few hundred metres.

William New won his first race of the series at Bishop Wilton, a race which features an arduous mile-long climb to the top of Garrowby Hill.

New made a decisive move to break clear of Roberts and Mark Dowson and he finished 200 metres ahead of the field in 36-30.

Roberts was second and Dowson’s best run of the series earned him third place.

Vet 50 Bill Shively put most of his younger rivals to shame with a fine fifth place.