Marathon des Sables
MdS logo
The Marathon des Sables (MdS, Marathon of the Sands, or Sahara Marathon)[1] is a six-day, 251 km (156 mi)[2] ultramarathon, which is approximately the distance of six regular marathons. The longest single stage (2009) is 91 km (57 mi) long.
This multiday race is held every year in southern Morocco, in the Sahara Desert. It is considered the toughest foot race on Earth.[1][3] The first event of the Marathon started in 1986.
Racers winding their way up a large ridge.
A competitor at Marathon des Sables, Morocco
The camp in which competitors sleep at night.
Photo of the first British Runners to complete the Marathon des Sables (Dr Mike Stroud OBE, Rene Nevola, Richard Cooper and Prof Mike Lean).
History
The marathon was the brainchild of French concert promoter Patrick Bauer[4] who in 1984 traversed the Sahara desert on foot and alone. He covered the 350 km (214 mi) in 12 days without encountering a single oasis or desert community along the way. Two years later in 1986 the first Marathon des Sables was run. 23 runners participated in the race with Bernard Gaudin and Christiane Plumere (both of France) finishing as the winning man and lady. By 2009 over 1000 runners participate in the event and the Solidarité Marathon des Sables association is created. The aim is to develop projects to assist children and disadvantaged populations in the domains of health, education and sustainable development in Morocco.[5]
Winners
| Edition | Year | Male winner | Nationality | Female Winner | Nationality | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1er MDS | 1986 | Bernard Gaudin | France | Christiane Plumere | France | |
| 2e MDS | 1987 | Hassan Sebtaoui | France | Marie-Ange Malcuit | France | |
| 3e MDS | 1988 | Bernard Gaudin | France | Ange Malcuit | France | |
| 4e MDS | 1989 | Hassan Sebtaoui | France | Claude Battistelli | France | |
| 5e MDS | 1990 | Hassan Sebtaoui | France | Claire Garnier | France | |
| 6e MDS | 1991 | Hassan Sebtaoui | France | Monique Frussote | France | |
| 7e MDS | 1992 | Mohamed Bensalah | Morocco | Monique Frussote | France | First Moroccan man to win |
| 8e MDS | 1993 | Mohamed Bensalah | Morocco | Irina Petrovna | Russia | |
| 9e MDS | 1994 | André Derksen | Russia | Valentina Liakhov | Russia | |
| 10e MDS | 1995 | André Derksen | Russia | Béatrice Reymann | France | |
| 11e MDS | 1996 | André Derksen | Russia | Anke Molkenthin | Germany | |
| 12e MDS | 1997 | Lahcen Ahansal | Morocco | Rosanna Pellizzari | Italy | |
| 13e MDS | 1998 | Mohamad Ahansal | Morocco | Rosanna Pellizzari | Italy | |
| 14e MDS | 1999 | Lahcen Ahansal | Morocco | Lisa Smith | United States | |
| 15e MDS | 2000 | Lahcen Ahansal | Morocco | Pascal Martin | France | |
| 16e MDS | 2001 | Lahcen Ahansal | Morocco | Franca Fiacconi | Italy | |
| 17e MDS | 2002 | Lahcen Ahansal | Morocco | Simone Kayser | Luxembourg | |
| 18e MDS | 2003 | Lahcen Ahansal | Morocco | Magali Juvenal | France | |
| 19e MDS | 2004 | Lahcen Ahansal | Morocco | Simone Kayser | Luxembourg | |
| 20e MDS | 2005 | Lahcen Ahansal | Morocco | Simone Kayser | Luxembourg | |
| 21e MDS | 2006 | Lahcen Ahansal | Morocco | Géraldine Courdesse | France | |
| 22e MDS | 2007 | Lahcen Ahansal | Morocco | Laurence Fricotteaux | France | |
| 23e MDS | 2008 | Mohamad Ahansal | Morocco | Touda Didi | Morocco | First Moroccan woman to win |
| 24e MDS | 2009 | Mohamad Ahansal | Morocco | Touda Didi | Morocco | |
| 25e MDS | 2010 | Mohamad Ahansal | Morocco | Monica Aguilera | Spain | |
| 26e MDS | 2011 | Rachid El Morabity | Morocco | Laurence Klein | France | |
| 27e MDS | 2012 | Salameh Al Aqra | Jordan | Laurence Klein | France | |
| 28e MDS | 2013 | Mohamad Ahansal | Morocco | Meghan Hicks | United States | |
| 29e MDS | 2014 | Rachid El Morabity | Morocco | Nikki Kimball | United States | |
| 30e MDS | 2015 | Rashid El Morabity | Morocco | Elisabet Barnes | Sweden | |
| 31e MDS | 2016 | Rashid El Morabity | Morocco | Natalia Sedykh | Russia | |
Notable participants
- Moroccan brothers Lahcen and Mohamad Ahansal, who won 10 and 6 editions respectively.[6]
- Marco Olmo, Italian ultratrail specialist, ran all editions since 1996, with best placement 3rd (achieved three times). At the 2013 edition, Olmo was 64 years old, and he was 47 when he ran his first.[7]
- Dima and Lama Hattab, Jordanian twins who were the first female Middle Eastern participants in the race.
- James Cracknell, British rower and adventurer, competed in the 2010 race and became the highest placing Briton to ever compete in the race, finishing 12th until fellow Briton Danny Kendall placed 5th in 2014.[8]
- In 1994 René Nevola, Mike Stroud, Mike Lean and Richard Cooper became the first British runners to complete the Marathon des Sables. René Nevola was the first Briton to complete the race and finished in 22nd place.
- Mauro Prosperi, former Olympian from Sicily, entered the race in 1994 but was set 299 km off route by a harsh sand storm. He was lost for ~11 days before being found in Algeria, following a well-publicized search of the desert.
- In 1999 Carlos Sposito was the first Brazilian to complete the Marathon des Sables.[9]
- Sir Ranulph Fiennes became the oldest Briton to complete the Marathon des Sables in 2015.[10] In doing so he raised over £1million for Marie Curie.
- James Matthews, engaged to Pippa Middleton, competed in the marathon in 2008.[11]
Bibliography
- Ted Archer: Carved by god, cursed by the devil – a true story of running the Sahara Desert. Redwood City CA, University of Dreams Foundation 2009. ISBN 978-0-9770735-3-5 (see: http://www.tedarcher.com/)
- Patrick Bauer ... [et al.]: Le Marathon des Sables. Paris, SPE (Société de production éditoriale) 2000. ISBN 978-2-912838-08-7 (English version by David Waldron).
- John Bonallak: The desert run. Wellington, New Zealand, Learning Media Ltd. 1999. ISBN 978-0-478-22948-6.
- Steve Cushing: 24th Marathon des Sables – a competitor's tale. Leicester UK, Matador 2010, ISBN 978-1-84876-286-2.
- Guy Giaoui; Foued Berahou: Ultramarathon stage racing - from our experiences of the Marathon des Sables, the Trans Aq', and other races - a practical guide. St-Genest-Malifaux, Raidlight 2008. ISBN 978-2-9530683-1-3.
- Mark Hines: The Marathon des Sables - seven days in the Sahara - enduring the toughest footrace on earth. London, Health Body Publishing 2007. ISBN 978-0-9553800-1-3 (hbk.). ISBN 978-0-9553800-5-1 (pbk. 2010).
- Monika Nicolle: Histoire d'un Marathon des Sables – 245 kilomètres dans le désert... Paris, Éditions de l'Onde 2010. ISBN 978-2-916929-30-9.
- Eddy Poirier: Vaincre soi-même : Marathon des Sables! Toute une histoire. [S.l.], Glob 2009. ISBN 978-2-918257-03-5.
- Pierre-Emmanuel Rastoin: Regard sur le Marathon des Sables : 2004/06. Biarritz, SAI 2007. ISBN 978-2-7588-0037-8.
- Herbert Meneweger: Marathon des Sables - die Grenze ist, wo die Vorstellungskraft endet - der härteste Marathonlauf der Welt, 243 Kilometer durch die Sahara. Anthering AUT, Meneweger 2003. ISBN 978-3-200-00037-7.
- Mike Stroud OBE. (re-issued 2004). Survival Of The Fittest: Understanding Health and Peak Physical Performance. (ISBN 978-0224075077) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Survival-The-Fittest-Understanding-Performance/dp/0224075071/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399385596&sr=8-1&keywords=dr+mike+stroud
- Dr Dan Tunstall Pedoe: Marathon Medicine. 2001. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marathon-Medicine-Dan-Tunstall-Pedoe/dp/1853154601 (ISBN 978-1853154607). or see page 186: https://books.google.com/books?id=Mr79AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA185&lpg=PA185&dq=%22Marathon+medicine%22+sahara&source=bl&ots=fQ6_uz2wQx&sig=D8r7osWl7NjWYbLBGFYvvXa6m8s&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SWadU8WwCYW-PM2jgdAG&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Marathon%20medicine%22%20sahara&f=false).
Notes
- 1 2 "Facing Africa NOMA : The Marathon des Sables", FacingAfrica.org, 2010, webpage: FA8.
- ↑ In 2008, the MdS was 145 miles (233 km).[1]
- ↑ "Extreme Marathons". Time. 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
- ↑ http://www.marathondessables.co.uk/site/content/race-history
- ↑ http://www.darbaroud.com/en/2015-edition/history.html
- ↑ «Marathonien des sables, Lahcen Ahansal, enfant nomade et star du désert»
- ↑ G. De Pascale, Il corridore - Storia di una vita riscattata dallo sport, Ponte alle Grazie 2012
- ↑ http://www.irunfar.com/2014/04/2014-marathon-des-sables-interim-results.html. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ http://www.webventure.com.br/h/noticias/carlos-sposito-o-homem-do-deserto/3027
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-32260854
- ↑ Money-Coutts, Sophia (July 19, 2016). "10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PIPPA MIDDLETON'S FIANCÉ JAMES MATTHEWS". Tatler. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
External links
- Official website of the Marathon des Sables
- Official website for UK Entrants
- Pictures of the Marathon des Sables from Rob Plijnaar, competitor in 2008
- Documentary on the 14th Marathon des Sables by Les Guthman
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/6/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.