By Barbara Matson, Globe Correspondent

FALMOUTH -- Kenyans Stanley Biwott and Margaret Wangari took advantage of the homestretch at the Falmouth Road Race Sunday, a steep downhill along Grand Ave. dropping down to Falmouth Heights, to shake off the last of their challengers and win the men's and women's divisions of the 7-mile seaside run.

Biwott, 26, passed defending champion Lucas Rotich in the last 10 meters to cross the line in 32 minutes, 1 second, setting a 4:34.33 pace in the thick humidity.

Wangari passed Wude Ayalew and Emily Chebet with a final sprint, winning her third straight race in 36:54. Wangari, 26, also won the Bix 7 earlier in the summer and the Beach to Beacon 10K last week.

"I'm a good sprinter because I've been running the 1500,'' said Wangari.

Morning rainstorms were so heavy race director Dave McGillivray had to scramble to get huge puddles cleared from the road. The rain stopped by race time -- delayed 10 minutes while the roads were cleared, and many runners misjudged the severity of the humidity that quickly settled into the air. The medical tent was packed with overheated runners an hour after the winners crossed the line, and at least two were transported to the hospital.

Biwott, who plans to run the New York City Marathon, acknowledged the humidity but didn't let it slow him. Like Wangari, Biwott won last week's Beach to Beacon on another painfully hot and humid day. He said the up-and-down Falmouth course was a good training run, and smiled broadly.