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Rachid EL MORABITY (MAR) will do everything to pocket his tenth victory in this 38th MDS Legendary, but he will have to counter the Moroccan Aziz Yachou and be wary of some European trailers of international level.

Rachid EL MORABITY (D3 – MAR – 42 years old)

Big favorite of this 38th edition, Rachid will race for his tenth victory! If he succeeds, he will equal the record of his compatriot Lahcen AHANSAL. His assets: his incomparable experience, his precise management, his size, his adaptation to the desert, his perfect knowledge of the environment, and his little brother Mohamed. It’s hard to get any sharper! To get an idea of his form, just look at the last six months: two races, two victories (Oman Desert Marathon and HMDS Jordan).Note that the EL MORABITY brothers have added a new asset with Mbark, 28 years old, who has lived in France for 5 years and aims to enter the Top 10 for his first participation.

Mohamed EL MORABITY (D1 – MAR – 32 years old)

Mohamed has been on the second step of the podium five times behind his brother Rachid. He won last year after Rachid withdrew from the event. His main advantage over his brother? His higher top speed. But in the face of adversity, the two brothers stick together.

Aziz YACHOU (D10 – MAR – 31 years old)

Fourth in 2021, third in 2022, second in 2023: we could be tempted to predict a victory in 2024! Even if Aziz will do everything to stop the domination of his compatriots the EL MORABITY brothers, the game will be very difficult for him. However, just like Rachid, he can count on his little brother Hamid, also a good runner, to support him.

Yoann STUCK (D851 – FRA – 41 years old)

Until 2010, Yoann STUCK spent more time in bars than on the trails, and it was really since 2012 that the Lyonnais started running for good and adopted a lifestyle more suited to the sport of high level. And this with success: his first podiums and victories date from 2013. Since then, he has achieved a number of great successes, including a victory on the HMDS Peru in 2022, and a magnificent victory on the EcoTrail de Paris (80 km) in March 2023, which suggests a very good first MDS.

Ivan PENALVA (D248 – ESP – 32 years old)

One of the best Spanish ultra runners for eight years: Spanish record holder in the 12 hours and 24 hours, best ranking of a Spaniard in the Badwater (2nd in 2022) and the Spartathlon (4th in 2021). A true devourer of kilometers, fast and enduring, resistant to heat, Ivan has every chance of obtaining a Top 5 for his first participation in the MDS Legendary.

Petter RESTORP (D832 – SWE – 46 years old)

Petter is a true mountaineer and author of free climbs on the biggest walls, like El Capitan. Since 2015, even if he has not abandoned his other mountain activities, he has devoted himself largely to trail running with great success in alpine events from 50 km to 100 miles. This will be his first MDS, and his first foray into the desert environment, a real challenge for him.

Roberto MASTROTTO (D830 – ITA – 36 years old)

Roberto changed his life in 2015 when he discovered the world of running. Since then, he has achieved a number of Top 10s in international events (eighth at the Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB 2023 for example). Fourth on the HMDS Jordan in 2022, he fell in love with the desert, and has been thinking about the MDS ever since. Roberto will give everything to fully live his first experience and cross the final finish line as close to the podium as possible.

Stéphane RICARD (D30 – FRA – 40 years old)

Trailer for a dozen years, Stéphane has made a specialty of 60-65 km events, such as the famous and competitive 6000D which he won twice. But Stéphane's particularity is that he threw himself headlong into the snowshoeing championships, a discipline in which he managed to win the supreme title at world level in 2014, 2016 and 2018. This will be his first MDS, and even if the Sahara has little to do with a plain covered in powder, Stéphane will be able to count on his endurance and resistance.

James MILLER (D209 – RSA – 26 years old)

James grew up in South Africa, a country where he spent as much time outdoors as possible. Passionate about outdoor sports, he has only half a dozen long distance events to his credit so far, but already two podiums, and above all he shows an impressive average speed on trails of 50 hilly km. He is one of the youngest contenders for the Top 10 this year.

Ahmed OUIKHALFEN (D2 – MAR – 25 years old)

This young Moroccan completes the team of the EL MORABITY brothers for his first participation in the MDS. He has quite simply won the four trails of 60 to 83 km run since 2018: we understand why Rachid and Mohamed wanted him by their side. More accustomed to the rough tests of the Moroccan Atlas, it remains to be seen how Ahmed will behave in the desert, over a week of racing.

Alessio ZAMBON (D831 – ITA – 31 years old)

A teacher, Alessio has been passionate about long-distance races since 2016. He has a few victories in regional races to his credit, and numerous podiums in national events. Eleventh in mid-February in the Tarawera 100 km Ultramarathon, Alessio seems in good shape for his first MDS, a format that he has already touched in Kenya in another stage race.

Mérile ROBERT (D33 – FRA – 52 years old)

Seventh participation for the Frenchman who reached the 3rd step of the podium in 2018 and 2021, a first for France in 16 years! Mérile approaches MDS with a scientific approach: he measures and weighs absolutely everything to optimize his performance, and it works! Unable to start last year, he returns this year with a good chance of entering the Top 10 once again.

Hamid YACHOU (D11 – MAR – 33 years old)

Hamid is Aziz’s little brother – definitely, MDS is often a family affair! Seventh last year for his first participation, Hamid will undoubtedly have learned from his small mistakes, and we can count on him to lead the front of the peloton alongside his brother.

Abdelhadi ELMOUSTAHLI (D12 – MAR – 42 years old)

Abdelhadi rarely runs competitively, but quickly and well: this Moroccan tourist guide has already finished eighth in the MDS twice (2019 and 2021), and has scored a few Top 10s in other events in Morocco and Great Britain. Armed with his unfailing smile, he is certainly a man to follow.

Anthony GINTER (D17 – FRA – 41 years old)

Already 8 participations in the MDS for Anthony, who has plenty to take after, since his father is none other than Christian GINTER, record holder for the number of MDS run and completed (35). But Anthony has largely forged his own path in the heart of the Sahara, including a 19th place last year, and a victory at the Grand to Grand Ultra in the USA last September, in a format similar to the MDS. A very good omen for this 38th MDS!