He finished the nearly 27 mile triathlon in 2 hours, 40 minutes and 54 seconds, becoming the first male to win three times since the race started in 1996.

"Finally winning again was more of a relief," said the 33-year-old from Stellenbosch, South Africa, who won in 2001 and 2004.

He broke a wrist and a vertebrae in his back in a training accident and did not compete in last year's Maui race.

"I am usually a strong biker and my game plan was to take a lead into the run. But (Olivier) Marceau was right with me and I had to beat him on the run, which was something new for me," Stoltz said.

Julie Dibens of England won the women's title in her first attempt, calling it "the perfect race for me."

She led throughout the race and finished in 3:01:24. She won the Xterra UK and Guam races earlier this year.

"It was an experience for sure," said the 32-year-old old from Salisbury, England. "I knew I had to have a lead after the swim. The bike was an uncertainty because I haven't done much mountain bike racing."

But she had no flat ties or technical troubles and saw runner-up Melanie McQuaid finishing the bike ride as she headed out on the run.

"I had a couple minutes lead on her and that gave me a confidence boost," Dibens said.

The Xterra course included a 1.5 kilometer rough water ocean swim; a 32 kilometer bike ride over rough mountain trails to a height of 1,400 feet on the slopes of Haleakala, a dormant volcano; and an 11 kilometer trail run over sand and lava fields and through a section of thick brush and thorny kiawe. The swim also included a 150-meter beach sprint between the two laps of the triangular course.

Winds were light and cloud cover reduced the heat on the race course in the Makena area of Maui.

A total of 533 triathletes from 38 states and 24 countries started the race. The field included 75 professionals who competed for $130,000 in prize money, with Stoltz and Dibens each receiving $25,000.

About 15 of the Xterra competitors finished the 140.6-mile Ironman Triathlon World Championships two weeks earlier in Kona on Hawaii Island. Two-time Maui Xterra winner Eneko Llanos of Spain won the $2,500 Hawaiian Airlines Double Award for having the best combined times in the Ironman and Xterra races. Erika Csomor of Hungary won the women's double.

Following Stoltz were Marceau of France, who also was second last year and in 2004, 2:42:05; Brian Smith, Gunnison, Colo., 2:42:35; Chris Legh, Australia, 2:44:26; and Bevan Docherty, New Zealand, 2:44:54.

Finishing behind Dibens were three-time women's champion McQuaid of Canada, 3:09:52; 2004 winner Jamie Whitmore, Somerset, Calif., 3:11:37; Shonny Vanlandingham, Durango, Colo., 3:12:44; and Candy Angle, Weymouth, Mass., 3:13:14.