Short Answer 
The finishing order of the competitors is Sarah, David, James, Julie, and Roger, with David finishing in second place. The deductions were made based on the relationships provided between their positions.
Step 1: Identify Key Clues
Start by extracting the important information provided about the finishers. The clues mention specific positions of Julie, Roger, James, David, and Sarah in relation to one another. Pay attention to:
- Julie finished ahead of Roger but behind James.
- David beat James but finished after Sarah.
Step 2: Establish Preliminary Order
Using the clues, we can lay out a preliminary order of the finishers. Start by placing James at the front since he comes before Julie and Roger. Our order so far is:
- James
- Julie (after James but before Roger)
- Roger (after Julie)
So far, we have: James, Julie, Roger. Now, we need to place David and Sarah based on the remaining clues.
Step 3: Finalize the Order
Based on the remaining information, we know that David finished after Sarah but before James. This gives us a final sequence of:
- Sarah
- David
- James
- Julie
- Roger
Thus, the final finishing order is Sarah, David, James, Julie, and Roger. Therefore, David finished in second place.