Marathon des sables

The MDS figures

OUR AMBASSADORS

Flying the flag—and the values—of the MARATHON DES SABLES, our Ambassadors have a taste for challenge, sharing, and mutual aid. And these values, when combined with the experience gained in the Sahara, allow them to answer most of the questions that newcomers have. 

Photo Merile ROBERT

Mérile ROBERT (FRA, 1971)

6 participations

Humility, smile and modesty in the service of an extraordinary pair of legs, heart and lungs: Mérile, the desert fox, has reached the heights on the MDS with two podiums out of his 6 participations. And he shares without moderation his experience of racing and life at the bivouac.

"The MDS is a really accessible race, even for a good walker it is largely doable. You just have to be rigorous. One of the secrets is to set off at a really leisurely pace on the first stage. Well, after that when you want to grab a good place it's not the same, it's all the way from the start and stay in contact as long as possible!"
 

Photo Mohamed EL MORABITY

Mohamed EL MORABITY (MAR, 1992)

5 participations

We know him as "Rachid's little brother", but Mohamed EL MORABITY is above all a great athlete (five times second in the MARATHON DES SABLES, victories and podiums on many desert and mountain trails), a young guy very friendly, and a humble and discreet person. In short, a perfect MDS ambassador for Morocco, also from Zagora, the city of champions!
 

Photo Nicolas MARECHAL

Nicolas MARECHAL (FRA, 1981)

3 participations

This big guy, father of four children, is an XXL sports fanatic and has managed to train his other half on the MARATHON DES SABLES in 2022. Only two MDS on the clock, you could say, but a real desire to share everything with as many people as possible. the salt of this adventure, and especially the best way to apprehend it.

"The MDS is not a race, it's an adventure, and it's my best to date, it's an untold happiness to come back to it. This week has changed my life and the practice of my sport. There is clearly a before and after his first MDS."
 

OUR AMBASSADORS

Participating in the MARATHON DES SABLES is a real challenge, and for many, the challenge of a lifetime. But some of them are not content with one single foray into the desert: they face the difficult conditions of the legendary race again and again. And little by little, their small personal story mixes with the great story of the MARATHON DES SABLES, and the legends are built together. Discover the MDS adventurers: participants who have come to confront the desert ten, twenty, thirty times, and even more...

Photo Christian Ginter

Christian GINTER (FRA, 1954)

33 participations

Photo Paolo ZUBANI

Paolo ZUBANI (ITA, 1953)

32 participations

Photo Karim MOSTA

Karim MOSTA (FRA, 1954)

29 participations

Photo François CRESCI

François CRESCI (FRA, 1947)

24 participations

Photo Michel BACH

Michel BACH (FRA, 1946)

22 participations

Photo Marco OLMO

Marco OLMO (ITA, 1948)

22 participations

Photo Lahcen AHANSAL

Lahcen AHANSAL (MAR, 1971)

18 participations

en attente photo

Brahim EL JOUAL (MAR, 1938)

19 participations

Photo Georges SCHROEDER

Georges SCHROEDER (LUX, 1948)

18 participations

Photo Sergio ORTOLANI

Sergio ORTOLANI (ITA, 1954)

15 participations

Photo Mohamad AHANSAL

Mohamad AHANSAL (MAR, 1973)

15 participations

en attente photo

Karim BENNIS (MAR, 1961)

15 participations

Photo Rory COLEMAN

Rory COLEMAN (GBR, 1962)

15 participations

Photo Junko HASUMI

Junko HASUMI (JAP, 1967)

15 participations

en attente photo

Maurice SAADA (FRA, 1938)

15 participations

en attente photo

Mustapha ARNAOUT (LIB, 1960)

14 participations

Photo Gérald BATCHEN

Gérald BATCHEN (USA, 1969)

13 participations

Photo Didier BENGUIGUI

Didier BENGUIGUI (FRA, 1950)

14 participations

en attente photo

Nadia DADOUN (MAR, 1959)

14 participations

en attente photo

Marc KAYSER (LUX, 1955)

14 participations

en attente photo

Pierre NICOLAS (FRA, 1934)

14 participations

Photo Dominique NUGRE

Dominique NUGRE (FRA, 1962)

14 participations

en attente photo

Jean VALLON (FRA, 1938)

14 participations

en attente photo

Sylvie CADIERNO (FRA, 1960)

13 participations

en attente photo

Mario MALERBA (ITA, 1957)

13 participations

en attente photo

Isabelle VALERA (FRA, 1962)

13 participations

Photo Aziz EL AKAD

Aziz EL AKAD (MAR, 1968)

11 participations

Photo Amine KABBAJ

Amine KABBAJ (MAR, 1952)

12 participations

en attente photo

Ferdinando HARDOUIN MONROY (ITA, 1953)

12 participations

Photo Marc BAPTISTE

Marc BAPTISTE (FRA, 1968)

11 participations

Photo Lhoucine AKHDAR

Lhoucine AKHDAR (MAR, 1974)

10 participations

Photo Sylvain KINNEN

Sylvain KINNEN (FRA, 1973)

11 participations

en attente photo

Kanji KUROSAWA (JAP, 1942)

11 participations

en attente photo

Anke MOLKENTHIN (GER, 1962)

11 participations

Photo Patrick MOUYEN

Patrick MOUYEN (FRA, 1948)

11 participations

Photo Monique MUHLEN

Monique MUHLEN (LUX, 1952)

10 participations

en attente photo

Mick RAMAYET (FRA, 1947)

11 participations

en attente photo

Yves ROMAIN (FRA, 1951)

11 participations

Photo Volker VOSS

Volker VOSS (GER, 1942)

11 participations

en attente photo

Antoine XERRI (FRA, 1951)

11 participations

en attente photo

Jean ACCOYER (FRA, 1935)

10 participations

Photo Salameh AL AQRA

Salameh AL AQRA (JOR, 1970)

10 participations

en attente photo

Houriya BENHLIMA (MAR, 1967)

10 participations

en attente photo

Francine BERLET (FRA, 1952)

10 participations

MARATHON DES SABLES Rachid EL MORABITY

Rachid EL MORABITY (MAR, 1982)

10 participations

Photo Mohamed FARAJ

Mohamed FARAJ (MAR, 1975)

10 participations

en attente photo

Albert KOEHREN (FRA, 1958)

10 participations

en attente photo

Sandro LANARO (SUI, 1966)

10 participations

en attente photo

Emiko MAEDA (JAP, 1971)

10 participations

TAKE PART IN THE MARATHON DES SABLES!

Register for the 2023 edition! 

Sign up for 2023

38th EDITION

 

From 12 to 22 April 2024 ~ 250 km in 6 days

A Big Thank you

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