Marathon des Sable 2018

Nearly 1,300 international runners will arrive in the Moroccan Sahara to participate in the 33rd annual Marathon des Sable, which will take place from April 6 to 16

The Sahara race will be organized by the Atlantide Organization Internationale. The event will take place under the auspices of the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism, according to a statement by the Marathon Des Sables.

The race features several stages open to walkers and runners over a distance of about 250 kilometers. Each runner or walker “must carry his/her own backpack containing food, sleeping gear and other material.”

“The 33rd Marathon des Sables will be administered according to the general race regulations to which all participants agree when they register,” added the statement.

In order to participate in the race, candidates need to be over 18 and must hold a medical certificate issued by the organization stating their ability to participate.

The 32nd edition of the event convened 1,300 runners from 52 countries. The race was marked by the participation of thirty Moroccan runners. The 2016 edition was won by Morocco’s Rachid El Morabiti.

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The 30th Marathon des Sables Begins April 5th

The Marathon des Sables - the toughest marathon in the world - begins on April 5th.

The marathon is in reality a multi-day ‘ultra-marathon’ or ‘ultra’ run in six days over a course of around 250 km. 

Some 1500 competitors are expected to take part in in 50 degree Celsius heat and with a backpack containing their food and camping equipment.

The actual routes and formats change every year. The Race Director and his team spend a month meticulously planning routes that are held secret until the day before the event starts.

Started in 1986 by Patrick Bauer, the race is now in its 30th consecutive year and continues to grow in popularity every edition. Places are much sought after, but those who do make it to the start line are richly rewarded. Under the scorching Moroccan sun, life-long friendships are fostered through a shared experience of unforgettable days spent running across saltpans, up desert-mountains, through ruined towns and through the occasional sand storm.

The Marathon des Sables is open to individuals and teams of individuals, amateur and elite runners. With runners coming from all over the world, the MdS is a truly international event that has a positive impact on the local environment and in local communities. Through the MdS foundation Solidarite, runners have raised funds to help hundreds of families through education and improve their quality of life.

The British team will also include a famous name. Sir Ranulph Fiennes (GBR-D271) is undoubtedly one of the greatest explorers of the twentieth century.

The first man to reach the north and south poles by land, first person to cross the Antarctic entirely by foot, the holder of numerous endurance records and a prolific writer, he will be on the start line of the 30th SULTAN MARATHON DES SABLES.

His target is to raise 2.5 million pounds (3.5 million euro) for the British Marie Curie Foundation, which provides support and care for those affected by terminal illness.

Sir Fiennes has championed several great causes over the years, and has set himself the goal of raising 20 million pounds (28 million euro) during his lifetime (he has 3 million pounds to go). Trained by Rory Coleman (who has clocked up 10 MDS and over 800 marathons!), 71-year-old Sir Fiennes hopes to be the oldest Brit to cross the finish line.

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Running the Fes Festival Mini Marathon

More than 2,500 Moroccan and international runners took part in a race that coincided with the start of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music. Gail Leonard reports for The View from Fez

The Course de Rythmes 6.6K race was such a pleasure to be part of. From collecting my number and T-shirt from the Delegation de Jeunesse et Sport (I guess I fitted into the latter rather than the former!) to the finishing line and walking through the medina afterwards sporting my medal, everyone I came across was so supportive, welcoming and excited.

Still at 6pm the heat was intense. Water was given by the sponsors to every runner and motivation was provided throughout the route by groups of musicians at every landmark. The Gnawa band playing the James Bond theme tune at Bab Meknes was a particularly memorable moment. Crowds had come to cheer , especially at Bab Semmarine, where it began to be much needed!

Gail Leonard

This was my first ever race and what a great and different way to see the sights, hear the sacred music, experience the conviviality of all involved and be inspired by the sporting spirit of Fes. A big thank you to the organisers and all my co-runners!

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Women's Six Kilometre Race Tomorrow at 10am

Sunday March 23rd is the date for the six kilometre Women's Fez Marathon.  For information contact the Nausikaa Spa or call 06 65 95 48 43. The race begins at 10 am

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Moroccan News Briefs #92

April 5th - the pain begins... 

More than 1,000 runners from 45 countries will participate in Morocco's 28th Marathon des Sables, the ten-day, six-stage race which begins on April 5th.

The marathon is in reality  a multi-day ‘ultra-marathon’ or ‘ultra’ run in six days over a course of between 150 and 156 (254km) miles. Which by the way is the equivalent of running from London to Dover and back again... but in 120 degree heat and with a backpack on...and voices in your head talking about cold beer!

The actual routes and formats change every year. The Race Director and his team spend a month meticulously planning routes that are held secret until the day before the event starts.

Competitors stay overnight in a bivouac village, comprised of tents that sleep about 8 competitors per tent. Once you get your 'bivvy' your bivvy team become your family, your support team, your nursing team and invariably they become long-term friends.


Casablanca gets drenched

Nobody doubts that this has been a very wet year. But the extent of that dampness is just beginning to be realised. If it were a wetness competition, Casablanca takes gold with an amazing 300% increase on rainfall the previous year.

While many would like to see an end to the rainy weather, umbrella salesmen and farmers are the big winners. According to agricultural authorities the crop year 2012/2013 looks good as a result of the significant cumulative rainfall. The amount of rainfall observed during the first quarter of 2013 gives confidence to farmers. The rainfall by March 18 had reached 465 mm, an increase of 300% compared to the same period of the previous year (155 mm). In addition the livestock industry says the agricultural season 2012/2013 "looks good", thanks to the strong growth of forage for livestock.


Topless Tunisian Turns Heads

Moroccan feminists had mixed reactions this week to the news that a Tunisian woman had posted a photograph of herself topless on the Internet on International Women's Day.

"My body is mine, it is not the source of anyone’s honour”

The young Tunisian woman has shocked some sections of the Tunisian and Moroccan public. "She was very brave," said Youssra, a twenty-three year old Moroccan, "I could not have done it."

On the photograph the woman wrote a statement in Arabic across her chest, saying “My body is mine, it is not the source of anyone’s honour.”

"She has made a statement that we support, but I am unsure of her way of doing it," says Fez resident, Fatima Zohra, 28.

However, in reaction to her action aimed at protecting “women’s rights against ascendant Islamist parties,”some sections of the Tunisian community have been criticised for an extremist response. Mr. Adel Almi, Tunisian head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, went so far as to say that the woman, who identified herself only as Meriam, “deserves to be stoned as punishment for the ignominy she is causing the country”. He also called on the Tunisian authorities to medically check the psychological and mental condition of the woman.

"Stoning is a shameful relic of our past and has no place in the modern Islamic world," says Aicha, 26, from Fez. "Nobody in Morocco will take any notice of people who call for such things."

Thankfully, more moderate Tunisians distanced themselves from the extremist remarks. The Tunisian Minister for Women, Mrs. Siham Badi, shrugged her shoulders over the issue, fearing that the incident may cause controversy across North Africa.

During a local TV interview with the protesting woman, Meriam said that she had simply been calling for women’s rights and defending them in her own way.


Fez Riads win awards

The hostel reservation site HostelBookers.com has released a list of the top-rated lodgings around the world for backpackers and budget travelers looking to book their next accommodations. The winners are chosen based on the highest rating achieved in each category, and a minimum of 25 reviews received in 2012 iwas required to be considered for an award.

The HostelBookers Awards for Excellence 2013 turned out to be a real win for Fez. The highest overall customer rating in the continent of Africa and the Middle East were awarded to Moroccan Hostlers, Riads and hotels.

Fez is the big winner - congratulations to Riad Verus, Dar El Yassmine, Dar Houdou and Dar Hafsa

The 12th Awards for Excellence 2013 were granted to the following Riads:

1- The top three accommodations Award in Africa and the Middle East were won by Riad Verus in Fez and Riad Fantasia and Riad Layla Rouge in Marrakech.

2- The Best Value Cheap Hotels Award in Africa and the Middle East went to Dar El Yassmine in Fez.

3- The Best Staff Award in Africa and the Middle East achieved by Dar Houdou in Fez and Rainbow Marrakech in Marrakech

4- The Best For Couples Award in Africa and the Middle East went to Riad Baraka in Chefchaouen.

5- The Best For Families Award in Africa and the Middle East was for Dar Hafsa in Fez.


Moroccans turn to online booking

Moroccans have taken to buying their holiday trips on the Net. The latest figures from the jevoyage.ma online agency show that nearly 6,500 customers to purchased travel and accommodation on the site for either domestic or foreign travel. This generated some 30 million dirhams in sales at the end of 2012. This is a growth of 66% compared to a year earlier.

In terms of visits, 42% of Internet users picked Morocco as their main destination. Marrakech was a top choice registering 50% of requests for short stays, followed by Agadir. Fez has cornered 30% of domestic passengers and ranks in first place for stays of 5 nights or more. Tangier, Tetouan and M'diq follow.

At the lower end, Saidia is mainly popular in summer, Essaouira attracts only 4% of domestic passengers and Ifrane is mainly a winter destination.

Moroccan travelling abroad had a clear favourite - Turkey with 20% of e-travelers. It accounts for 61% of long-term stays abroad as tours throughout the year, with peak demands during periods of school holidays and summer. In second place comes Spain with 10.6% of travellers.

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Moroccan News Briefs #83

Maroc Telecom To Invest $1.2 Billion In Broadband Network

Maroc Telecom plan to invest 10 billion Moroccan dirhams ($1.2 billion) to upgrade the country’s broadband network. The company, which is 53 percent owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA and 30 percent owned by the Moroccan government, said it would invest this money between 2013 and 2015 financial years.

The company will also invest 4 billion dirhams ($477 million) in other African countries where it has operations. These countries include Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Gabon and Mali over the same period.

Maroc Telecom had already invested 25 billion dirhams ($3 billion) in Morocco, it said in a statement to the French securities exchange.

The company made this announcement at the time when Etisalat ETEL.AD, the United Arab Emirates’ largest telecommunications operator, said it is interested in buying Vivendi’s 53 percent stake in Morocco’s Maroc Telecom.


Polygamy to reduce number of unmarried women?

Too many single women?

According to a recent report in Le Soir, estimates from the Moroccan High Commission For Planning (HCP) found the median age for marriage in Morocco was 31 for men and 27 for women.There are many reasons for this – more years spent studying, and the high cost of housing and wedding ceremonies being the most obvious. Some, it seems, now want to add monogamy to this list of reasons why young Moroccans are getting married later in life.

The idea might seem absurd at first, but in a country where rape victims have been forced to marry their rapists, it’s really not so surprising.

Abdesslam El Bouraini, the president of the National Order of Religious Notaries argues: “The median age for marriage increases more and more, while women can’t find husbands. So why don’t we modify the polygamy law to allow men to marry several women?” Supply and demand, if you will.
In Morocco, polygamist marriages are almost non-existent because of strict legal restrictions: a woman has to sign consent, and in case of divorce, assets have to be divided among the wives.

Fouzia Assouli, the president of the Federation for the Democratic League of Women’s Rights (FLDDF), says El Bouraini’s proposal is “mind-blowing. There is no scientific evidence to support this notion, and it’s a violation of human rights and women’s rights. Celibacy is also a personal choice," she says.

What if Morocco faced the opposite situation? “In Saudi Arabia, women outnumber the men, should we allow them to have several husbands?” asks Assouli. “If Islam allows it, then it’s for the good of the community, otherwise, it’s an open door to debauchery. The legal restrictions on polygamy have driven men and women to have extra-marital intercourse,” believes El Bouraini.

If we are to believe him, Morocco’s strict polygamy laws are the reason why men commit adultery. But isn’t excusing adultery and infidelity contrary to the basic principles of Islam? If polygamy was the solution, there wouldn’t be high rates of single people in the countries where it is common.


Moroccan Security - Opinion

Hassan Benmehdi and Siham Ali have written an interesting opinion piece for Magharebia on Al-Qaeda activity in Mali andf the threat it poses a threat to Morocco.

[AFP/Abdelhak Senna] Moroccan security forces recently dismantled multiple al-Qaeda linked cells

The deadly conflict now unfolding in Mali between armed Islamists and an international military coalition seems far removed from Morocco. But with al-Qaeda working to foster ties with distant extremist circles, the active recruiting of Moroccan jihadists brings the Mali crisis perilously close to the kingdom.

In late December, the Moroccan judicial police broke up an al-Qaeda cell in Fez. The group's goal: to "enrol and recruit young Moroccans who have embraced jihadist ideas, in order to send them to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) camps", the interior ministry said.

Morocco shares no border with Mali. But that has not stopped al-Qaeda offshoot MUJAO from eyeing potential fighters from afar. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and other regional terror organisations have intensified activities aimed at undermining stability in Morocco, the interior ministry confirmed in December.

"AQIM and its ally MUJAO (Movement for Tawhid and Jihad) are now attractive to Moroccan youth imbued with the philosophy of al-Qaeda," the ministry said in a statement last month. Investigations by the judicial police and the Directorate General for Territorial Surveillance (DGST) had "proven" that terror groups were targeting young Moroccans, the ministry said.

The Moroccan government's comments came in response to a spate of successful security operations that dismantled several terror cells in just one month.

On December 26th, 27 suspects seized in Casablanca, Laayoune, Nador, Guercif and Kelaat Sraghna were arraigned on charges of sending more than 20 young Moroccans to join al-Qaeda and MUJAO in northern Mali. A Malian national was among the Morocco AQIM cell suspects.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and its allies may well be looking to destabilise Morocco, as the interior minister said last month, but according to political scientist Sami Khairi, the country's security forces are up to the challenge.

"Moroccan security services have been stronger than al-Qaeda," he says.

It is the same story from analyst Mohamed Chaouni.

"Security policies in Morocco have been quite efficient," he says. "It is thanks to co-operation between the different services that so many terrorist cells have been dismantled."

"This security approach has been supported by other measures, such as the implementation of development strategies, the fight against poverty, and efforts in the religious field to encourage tolerance and moderation," Chaouni adds.

Today, he says, is all about intensifying regional co-operation and containing the expansion of terrorist activities in the Sahel. Fighting drug and weapons trafficking should be a priority.

For sociologist Samira Kassimi, however, the focus should be on Morocco's youth. Given resources such as education and jobs, she argues, young people will not be easily manipulated by terrorist groups.


Bassima Hakkaoui and the hijab

The popular Al Arabiya news site is carrying an interesting story about Morocco’s only female minister, Bassima Hakkaoui, who claimes that the media has targeted her because she dons the Islamic headscarf, the hijab.

Minister of Solidarity, Women, Family and Social Development, Bassima Hakkaoui, said since taking office in January 3, 2012, the media attempted to mar her credibility by reporting false news and information about her. Hakkaoui’s husband having a second wife is among the erroneous information she rebuffed.

“The media has attacked me ever since my appointment [as minister] by reporting statements I did not say,” she told the French-language Moroccan weekly magazine, Tel Quel, in an interview. “This is because I am a hijab-wearing woman in parliament…I think this has agitated some people who tried to tar my credibility.”

The 52-year-old minister said she respects journalists despite some who do not verify their reports before publishing. “I find myself to bring more attention more than other ministers as I am the only woman minister.”

The Minister should be applauded

The most interesting insight in the article is that unlike many of her colleagues, the minister is urging for changes to safeguard women rights in Morocco. She vowed that there will be changes to article 475 in the country’s penal code that allows a rapist to marry his victim to escape prosecution. Law to protect young girls is rejected.

As The View from Fez reported earlier, the Islamist PJD had taken what many are describing as a backward step by rejecting a bill criminalizing any sexual contact with minors. In Morocco, the rapists of under-age girls are protected by law as long as they marry their victims.

There have long been calls for the repeal of Article 475 of the penal code and given the public revulsion felt at such crimes it was expected that the repeal would be past. However, the commission of Justice of the House of Representatives led by the Islamist PJD rejected an amendment which would have criminalised sexual intercourse with a minor even if it is consensual. Socialists MPs wanted to put on the same level as rape. In light of this, Bassima Hakkaoui is to be applauded for her stand in favour of changing the law.

Last year, a Moroccan court allowed a rapist to marry his 16-year-old rape victim, Amina Filali, to “preserve” the honor of the girl’s family. Filali’s case, who later committed suicide, created outrage in the country with many activists called for changes and reforms in the penal court.

“A rapist belongs to jail and not elsewhere,” she said.


In memory of a Moroccan female pioneer

Touria Boutaleb, the first Moroccan woman to obtain a certificate of aptitude for teaching Arabic. Ms. Touria Boutaleb died on Sunday in Rabat. She was the first girl in Morocco to pick up the certificate of aptitude for teaching Arabic language in public schools girls, after a competition organized in 1946 in Rabat. She has served as director of the girls' school in Fez. After moving to Rabat with her ​​husband, she served as director of the school Hassan. An a activist on the national scene, Touria Boutaleb was also one of the first women writers from Morocco to collaborate with the newspaper "Al Alam" and the magazine "Daawat Al Hak" as well as Arabic publications, including "Al Arabi" and " Al Arab ".


Morocco has 19 films in African Film Festival

According to Morocco World News, Morocco is the country with the most films on offer in the 23rd edition of the Panafrican Film and Television festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) in Burkina Faso.

The Festival, scheduled from the 23rd of February to the 2nd March, has three Moroccan feature films in competition for the Golden Stallion of Yennenga, namely “Androman mindamoua Fahm” (of blood and of coal) by Lamharzi Alarabe Alaoui, “Horses of god” by Nabil Ayouch and “Love in the Medina” by Abdelhaï Laraki.

Morocco is the most represented country in this competition list which comprises 19 films representing, besides Morocco, Guinea-Bissau, Algeria, South Africa, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritius, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Angola, Niger, Mali and Mozambique.

The edition of FESPACO 2013 is being run under the scintillating theme: “African Cinema and public policies in Africa.”


The International Marathon of Marrakech, 27th January 2013

On Sunday 27th January 2013, Marrakech will host the 23rd annual International Marrakech Marathon.

Renowned for being one of the most prestigious marathons in the world, the event accommodates up to 6000 marathonians, professional and amateur, and is arguably a prestigious meeting place for international marathon stars. The route is flat and rapid, making it one of the world’s fastest marathon routes, with the record being an impressive 2h03’59”. Time limit for the full marathon is 5.30 hours covering a distance of 42,195km, and the half marathon 3.00 which is 21,097km.

You can also register for the village marathons which take place on Friday 25th, and Saturday 26th January prior to the main event, and is also open to children and amateurs of all ages.

Runners can partake in the full or semi marathon and inscription to the event is possible until 21st January 2013. If you are interested in more details about this event, including the route, times, registration and other information, please visit this link http://www.marathon-marrakech.com/presa.html

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Morocco / marathon des sables - a winner after seven attempts

The Jordanian, Salameh Al Aqra won the « marathon des sables for the first time after seven years of participation while in the women’s category, the French, Laurence Klein, grabbed her third title of the marathon which started April 6th and ended April 14.

Salameh Al Aqra crossed the finished line of the 27th edition of the « marathon des sables » with a time of 19:59:21 while Laurence Klein finished in 26:36:25.

Salameh after 2009 was absent in the race for two years due to an injury. In 2007 and 2008 he had occupied the third position while in 2008 he was second.

Laurence Klein had already won the race twice in 2007 and 2011.

STAGE 6 DETAILS:

MERDANI / MERZOUGA : 15,5 Km

Number of runners on the start line: 797. Withdrawals during the 3rd stage : 3 (total withdrawals: 54)
A grand finale
Jordanian runner Salameh Al Aqra and French athlete Laurence Klein are the official winners of the 2012 edition of the Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES. But each and every competitor, at their own level, have won a personal victory by crossing the finish line.
What a show! Competitors on the start line of the 6th and last leg of the 27th Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES, between Merdani and Merzouga, will never forget the last few hours of the last episode of their South Saharian adventure. For the final chapter of their saga, a grand setting: the Merzouga dunes, the highest in Morocco. On the finish line, where Patrick Bauer, the race director, puts the much longed for finishers’medal around the runners’ necks, there are of course many tears and cries. You can see the tiredness on the runners’ faces after 6 days of effort, but it’s their relief and joy that’s most striking. They’ll go away with many mental images of that week long adventure, in sometimes difficult conditions (sand storms, hail…), and in varied but always stunning landscapes.

MEN
6th leg
1. Aziz El Akad (D9-MAR), 15km in 1h13’30’’
2. Mohamad Ahansal (D8-MAR), 36’’ behind
3. Salameh Al Aqra (D148-JOR), 3’35’’ behind
Final general ranking
1. Salameh Al Aqra (D148-JOR), 19h59’21’’
2. Mohamad Ahansal (D8-MAR), 21’02’’ behind
3. Aziz El Akad (D9-MAR), 1h38’56’’ behind

WOMEN
6th étape
1. Meryem Khali (D5-MAR), 1h31’37’’
2. Laurence Klein (D322-FRA), 4’48’’ behind
3. Meghan Hicks (D973-USA), 12’58’’ behind
Final general ranking
1. Laurence Klein (D322-FRA), 26h15’40’’
2. Meryem Khali (D5-MAR), 1’19’’38 behind
3. Karine Baillet (D-FRA), 1h31’07’’ behind

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MARATHON DES SABLES - Results Day Six

STAGE 5:
JEBEL EL MRAÏER / MERDANI : 42,2 Km

At 8am. Hygrometry: 53%. Temperature: 15°C
At 1pm. Hygrometry: 18%. Temperature: 29°C

Number of runners on the start line: 800. 4th stage withdrawals: 21 (total: 54)

Running in a post-card

Strings of dunes, dried-up lakes, wadis, the 5th leg of  the Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES served a full menu to the competitors. 42.2km to get through to get a bit closer to the final goal.

Hardly 200 metres away from the bivouac, the long pack of runners starts on the first string of dunes of the day. It is doubtlessly the most beautiful kick-off since the beginning of the 27th edition of Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES.

In an idyllic post-card setting, the 800 competitors still in the race ran a classic marathon leg of 42.2km under a bright sun. Whilst Moroccan competitor Aziz El Akad flew towards his first victory of the week, the rest of the “procession” was discovering astonishing landscapes of dunes sometimes gorged with water due to Thursday’s storms. 

Another feast for the eye was the colour contrasts of the white wadis, the black stones of the dried-up lakes and the pink-orange of the dunes. At the end of the 42.2km awaited the monumental dunes of Merzouga, the highest dunes in Morocco, which the competitor will have to cross on Saturday before their final deliverance. 

MEN

5th leg

1. Aziz El Akad (D9-MAR), 42,2km in 3h08’11’’
2. Salameh Al Aqra (D148-JOR), 4’19’’ behind
3. Mohamad Ahansal (D8-MAR), 6’41’’ behind

General ranking

1. Salameh Al Aqra (D148-JOR), 18h42’15’’
2. Mohamad Ahansal (D8-MAR), 24’01’’ behind
3. Aziz El Akad (D9-MAR), 1h 42’31’’ behind

WOMEN

5th leg

Meryem Khali (D5-MAR), in 4h5’50’’
Karine Baillet (D130-FRA), 14’16’’ behind
Susanna de Oliveira Simoes (D870), 17’44 behind

More details at the marathon website
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MARATHON DES SABLES - Results Day Five

A blow for Rachid El Morabity

Last year’s winner and so far leader of the race after 3 legs of the 27th Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES, Rachid El Morabity  was forced to withdraw  due to a medical problem.  The incident happened about 1km before the finish line of the long leg between El Maharch and djebel El Mraïer (81.5km). The night had only just fallen when the 30 year old Moroccan runner felt an extremely violent pain in his left thigh. He sent off his emergency flares, and he was quickly taken care of. 

 He was 

given painkillers before being taken back to the bivouac clinic of the MARATHON DES SABLES for further examination.

The first tests, revealed an important muscle lesion on the quadriceps, but no fracture. Rachid El Morabity will nonetheless have to undergo surgery in the next few days. He will be repatriated on Thursday.

The winner of today’s stage, Jordanian competitor  Salameh Al Aqra has taken the lead before Mohamad Ahansal, 21’38’’ behind, and Portuguese runner Carlos Alberto Gomes de Sa, 1h27’05’’ behind.

STAGE 4: DAY 2
EL MAHARCH / JEBEL EL MRAÏER : 81,5 Km

At 12am. Hygrometry: 26%. Temperature : 31.4°C
Runners still in the race (at 10am) : 800. Withdrawals in the 4th leg (at 10am) : 21 (total : 54)

An emotional cocktail

The long stage of the 27th Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES kept all its promises with an unexpected turn of events amongst the leaders, and many unforgettable images and emotions for all. 

The 27th Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES probably went through its most memorable stage on Wednesday and Thursday with the 4rth leg, 81.5 km long , between El Maharch and djebel El Mraïer. A dramatic change in the lead, for a start : last years’ winner and so far the absolute leader of this year’s edition, Rachid El Morabity was forced to withdraw due to a serious muscle lesion on the left quadriceps, only 1km from the finish line. Memorable too are the faces of all competitors crossing that line: tired faced, but imensely relieved to have come to the end of the mythical stage. All night for some, and even part of the next day for those who chose to sleep at one of the check points, they trodded towards their goal with their head torches on. Those light lights dancing into the nights amongts the dunes made for a striking image. And how moving to witness today the runners’ pride at having pushed back their own limit.

MEN

4th stage

1. Salameh Al Aqra (D148-JOR), 81,5km in 7h13’
2. Mohamad Ahansal (D8-MAR), 17’25’’ behind
3. Wataru Iino (D761-JAP), 32’41’’ behind
4. Christophe Le Saux (D113-FRA), 38’54’’ behind

General ranking

1. Salameh Al Aqra (D148-JOR), 15h29’45’’
2. Mohamad Ahansal (D8-MAR), 21’38’’ behind
3. Carlos Alberto Gomes de Sa (D890-POR), 1h27’05’’ behind

WOMEN

4th stage

1. Laurence Klein (D322-FRA), 9h32’40’’ (19th scratch)
2. Karine Baillet (D130-FRA), 20’49’’ behind
3. Meryem Khali (D5-MAR), 51’57’’ behind

General ranking

1. Laurence Klein (D322-FRA), 20h02’19’’
2. Karine Baillet (D130-FRA), 1h36’43 behind
3. Meryem Khali (D5-MAR), 1h55’35’’ behind

More details at the Marathon website

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MARATHON DES SABLES - Results Day Four

So far there have been around thirty runners who have conceded defeat and withdrawn, making this a race of contrition. It is certain that a few more of the remaining 821 runners will also fall before the end. No actual results today as this very long stage. The one piece of relief was the water in the wadi...

PRESS RELEASE

STAGE 4: DAY 1
EL MAHARCH / JEBEL EL MRAÏER : 81,5 Km

At 8am. Hygrometry: 20%. Temperature: 23°C
At 11am. Hygrometry: 19%. Temperature: 29°C
Number of runners on the start line: 821. 3rd leg withdrawals: 13 (total : 33)

On the start line of the mythical long leg of the 27th Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES, between El Maharch and djebel el Mraïer, faces were tenser than usual, steps less assured. 

This 81.5km long stage is much dreaded by all, be they champions or anonymous (the first 50 male competitors and the 5 first women leaving later then the rest). Hardly 9km later, the 821 competitors still in the race had to face the climb of djebel Oftal. 

At the top, they were rewarded with the most stunning view over wadi Rheris, the next obstacle. A moment to be relished before the climb down with a slope factor of nearly 20% (ropes have been added for the runners’ safety), towards the valley and a river crossing, yet another effort before about 20km of dunes. 

Whilst the best, led by Moroccan competitor Rachid El Morabity, will make it to the finish line in hardly 7 hours, some will be spending over 30 hours out on the track.

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MARATHON DES SABLES - Results Day Three

 Photo credit: Cimbaly/Saulem

A long string of figures fighting against the wind on dried-up lakes, crossing the magnificent djebel Zireg, and the narrow pass of El Maharch: such were the striking images of the 3rd leg of the 27th Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES, that spanned 35km between Taourit Mouchanne and El Maharch. In extreme conditions, the 34 competitors present on the start line struggled against a strong wind, heads down, glasses and buffs firmly set to face the sand storm: an exhausting and trying day Here are the results.

STAGE 3: TAOURIRT MOUCHANNE / EL MAHARCH : 35 Km

At 8am. Hygrometry : 18%. Temperature: 24°C
At 8am. Hygrometry : 16%.  Temperature: 29°C
At 12am. Hygrometry: 13%. Temperature: 31°C
Number of competitors on the start line : 834. Withdrawals from leg 2: 15 (total: 19)

Gone with the wind

Moroccan runner Rachid El Morabity on the men’s side and French runner Laurence Klein on the women’s side won their third consecutive stage. But like all competitors, they had to cope with gusts of sand due to a strong Western wind.

The lead of the race is unchanged: Rachid El Morabity and his main challenger, the Jordanian runner Salameh Al Aqra, were far ahead for the whole length of the leg. And once again, the Moroccan champion won. Same story in the ladies’ race where  Laurence Klein, from Reims, has captured absolute leadership.

 Photo credit: Cimbaly/Saulem

Rankings

Men

1. Rachid El Morabity (D1-MAR), 2h35’53’’
2. Salameh Al Aqra (D148-JOR), 59’’ behind
3. Aziz Akad (D9-MAR), 1’36’’ behind

Women

1. Laurence Klein (D322-FRA), 3h19’05
2. Meriem Khali (D5-MAR), 9’41 behind
3. Karine Baillet(D130-FRA), 21’30 behind

More details on the Marathon website

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MARATHON DES SABLES - Results Day Two

Stage 2 : OUED EL AATCHANA / TAOURIRT MOUCHANNE :

38,5 Km

The dunes make an entrance
At 8am. Hygrometry: 20%. Temperature: 20,4°C.
At 12h. Hygrometry: 13%. Temperature: 38,7°C.
Number of competitors on the start line: 849. Withdrawals from leg 1: 4.

Sandy patches, dried-up wadis and the first dunes were on today’s menu, together with a high humidity rate and extreme heat (38°C).

8.35am. The sun was already roasting wadi El Aatchana, where the second leg of the 27th Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES started.  The  38.5km journey will take the runners to Taourirt Mouchanne.

At the front of the race, Al Aqra (D148-JOR) from Jordan took the lead in the first dunes, in front of Ahansal (D8-MAR) and El Rachidy (D1-MAR). But 9km before the finish line, when reaching the dried-up lake that leads to it, El Rachidy moved to full gear, caught up with Al Aqra and won the stage by 2 minutes over his Jordanian challenger.

Slightly behind, the French were doing well: Christophe Le Saux (D113-FRA) ended up in 9th position, 27’58’’ behind the winner.

On the women’s side, Laurence Klein (D322-FRA) again won the stage, broadening the gap between her and her contenders at the general ranking.

Tomorrow the competitors will be enjoying stunning sights in the 35 km between Taourirt Mouchanne and El Maharch, where over 5km of magnificent sand dunes and long stony plains will make their day.

 Photo credit: Cimbaly/Saulem

Men ranking
1st : Rachid El Morabity (D1-MAR), 38,5km in 2h50’22’’.
2nd : Salameh Al Aqra (D8-MAR), 2’14’’.
3rd : Mohamad Ahansal (D148-JOR) à 3’18.
Women ranking
1st : Laurence Klein (D322-FRA), 38,5km in 3h51’06’’.

For full coverage, check the Marathon's website

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The Marathon Des Sables - Day one

Today (Sunday, April 8th), the 2012 Marathon des Sables (MdS) began in southern Morocco. The race is run over seven-day, six-stage, and 246.5 kilometres. But the most gruelling thing is not the distance, but that each of this year’s 887 competitors must carry everything needed for a week of racing, exempting water and a shade structure under which they rest and camp between stages, both of which the race administration provides daily. Typically runners carry their food, clothing, a sleeping bag, personal supplies, and mandatory safety equipment for the week. The average pack will weigh in at around twenty pounds.

This week the six stages run between Tazzarine and the huge dunes in Merzouga.
Stage 1 (April 8th) – 33.8 km (21.0 miles)
Stage 2 (April 9th) – 38.5 km (23.9 miles)
Stage 3 (April 10th) – 35 km (21.7 miles)
Stage 4 (April 11th and 12th) – 81.5 km (50.6 miles)
Stage 5 (April 13th) – 42.2 km (26.2 miles)
Stage 6 (April 14th) – 15.5 km (9.6 miles)

The runners before today's start

The top women runners are expected to be French woman Laurence Klein who was the MdS women’s champ in both 2011 and 2007, is the clear favorite for this year’s MdS and Jennifer Salter (United Kingdom) – Jennifer’s is a MdS veteran.   Top Men’s Competitor is expected to once again be the super-fit Moroccan, Rachid El Morabity from Zagora.

Rachid El Morabity Photo: Meghan Hicks

Rachid El Morabity was last year’s MdS winner, he’ll be proudly wearing the Number 1 bib.

Each competitor wears a transponder on their ankle that records their progress over the start line, checkpoints, and finish line of each stage. If technology works properly, the MdS website will provide near-live tracking of athletes travel across the Sahara Desert. Also, a live video feed from the finish of each stage will play from the MdS website.

UPDATE:  Results Day One

Stage 1 : 08 APRIL - AMMOUGUER / OUED EL ATTCHANA – 33, 8kms

Champions already at full speed

At 8.00am: Hygrometry: 26.3%. Temperatures : 19.9°C.
At 10.00am:  Hygrometry: 18.7%. Temperatures : 29.7°C.
At 12am: Hygrometry: 12%. Temperatures: 35.8°C.

Number of runners of the start line: 853.

Today at 9.00am Patrick Bauer gave the start the 27th Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES between Ammouguer and wadi El Aatchana. The first leg, 33.8km long, offered a variety of terrain with dunes, stony valleys and djebel Tibert as a conclusion. As was to be expected, the champions fully went for it: Rachid El Morabity (D1-MAR) won the stage 6’35’’ ahead of Mohamad Ahansal (D8-MAR), and 9’55’’ ahead of Jordanian competitor Salameh Al Aqra (D148-JOR). In the women’s race, French runner Laurence Klein made a striking start by coming in 19’26’’ ahead of Jennifer Salter (D521-GB) and 26’18’’ ahead of Meryem Khali (D5-MAR)
After today’s “warm up”, tomorrow’s leg will span 38.5km between wadi El Aatchana and Taourirt Mouchanne. On the menu, a dried-up lake and dunes : ideal to make the gaps bigger.

Men ranking.
1st : Rachid El Morabity (D1-MAR), 33,8km in 2h26’32’’.
2nd :  Mohamad Ahansal (D8-MAR)  6’35’’ behind.
3rd : Salamaeh Al Aqra (D148-JOR)  9’55 behind.

Women ranking.
1st : Laurence Klein (D322-FRA),  33,8km in 3h19’22’’
2nd : Jennifer Salter (D521-GB) 19’26’’ behind.
3rd : Meryem Khali (D5-MAR) 26’18’’ behind.

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