"Marathon of the Sands" sets off in Moroccan desert
The 35th edition of the "Marathon des Sables" ("Marathon of the Sands"), a six-day 251 km ultramarathon across the Sahara Desert, set off this Sunday in southern Morocco, with hundreds of participants ready to take on one of the toughest races on Earth.
Over 1,200 runners from 41 nationalities gathered in Morocco's south for the 35th annual event, organized by the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism. The marathon started on October 1, and will continue until October 11, under the initiative of the Atlantide Organization.
The first stage of the MDS is renowned for its difficult course. Moroccan athlete Rachid El-Morabity, who has won the race seven times before, competed against 672 other runners and won once more.
Also another Moroccan runner Aziza Raji finished the women’s race first in 3 hours, 47 minutes, and 59 seconds. Raji participated in the 2019 race and finished second to Ragna Debats of the Netherlands.
Over the past years, the marathon has long been marked by a series of victories recorded by Moroccan athletes.
The marathon, which was postponed twice due to the pandemic, is the world’s longest desert race with a trail of 250-kilometer divided into 6 stages.
Since its launch in 1986 by Patrick Bauer, the marathon has gathered more than 22,000 competitors throughout the years, with women making up 20% of the participants, 70% international runners, and 45% veterans.
