Marathon des Sables

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Marathon des Sables
Official logo of the Marathon des Sables
LocationMorocco (Sahara Desert)
Namibia
Peru
Fuerteventura (Spain)
Jordan
Turkey
France
Event typeMulti-stage Ultramarathon
Distance250 km in 6 stages (MDS Legendary)

70, 100 or 120 km in 3 stages (MDS 120)
70 to 120 km in 4 stages (MDS Trek)
90 or 107 km (MDS RAID)
70 km (MDS Handi)
Loops of 3 to 5 km for 24 h (MDS Crazy Loops)

100 km or 100 miles non-stop (MDS Ultra)
Established1986; 39 years ago (1986)
OrganizerWAA (What An Adventure)
(Cyril Gauthier)
Official sitewww.marathondessables.com
ParticipantsAmateurs and professionals

Marathon des Sables (often abbreviated MDS) is an international organization that hosts several formats of ultra-endurance footraces, most of them held in food self-sufficiency conditions.[1]

The flagship event, now known as MDS Legendary, was created in 1986 and takes place every year in the Moroccan Sahara, covering around 250 km in six stages.[2]

Since 2017, the organization has expanded its portfolio with new formats (ranging from 70 km to 250 km) and destinations such as Peru, Namibia, Fuerteventura, Jordan, Turkey and France.[3][4]

Every year, thousands of amateur and professional runners from all over the world take part in the different races, which combine sporting challenge with a strong human and collective experience.[5]


History

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MDS 120 Peru

The Marathon des Sables was created by French adventurer Patrick Bauer in 1986.[6] The idea came after Bauer crossed the Sahara Desert alone in 1984, covering 350 km (214 mi) in 12 days without finding a single oasis or settlement.[7] The first edition in 1986 gathered 23 competitors, and was won by Bernard Gaudin and Christiane Plumere.[8]

MDS 120 Jordan

In November 2017, the first international editions were launched: a full 250 km event in the Peruvian desert of Ica,[9] and the Half MDS in Fuerteventura (Spain).[10] Later editions expanded to Namibia, Jordan, Turkey and France.[11]

MDS Handi
MDS RAID Namibia

Formats

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Today, the Marathon des Sables is no longer a single race but a global series of events, each adapted to different audiences and terrains. The main formats are:

  • MDS Legendary – 250 km in 6 stages, self-sufficient, Morocco.
  • MDS 120 – 70, 100 or 120 km in 3 stages.
  • MDS Trek – 70 to 120 km in 4 stages, with lighter logistics (not strict self-sufficiency).
  • MDS RAID – 90 or 107 km in teams.
  • MDS Handi – 70 km in inclusive teams.
  • MDS Crazy Loops – loops of 3 to 5 km over 24 hours.
  • MDS Ultra – 100 km or 100 miles in a single non-stop stage.


Winners

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Edition Year Male winner Nationality Female Winner Nationality Notes
1 1986 Bernard Gaudin France Christiane Plumere France
2 1987 Hassan Sebtaoui France Marie-Ange Malcuit France
3 1988 Bernard Gaudin France Ange Malcuit France
4 1989 Hassan Sebtaoui France Claude Battistelli France
5 1990 Hassan Sebtaoui France Claire Garnier France
6 1991 Hassan Sebtaoui France Monique Frussote France
7 1992 Mohamed Bensalah Morocco Monique Frussote France First Moroccan man to win
8 1993 Mohamed Bensalah Morocco Irina Petrova Russia First Russian woman to win
9 1994 André Derksen Russia Valentina Liakhova Russia First Russian man to win
10 1995 André Derksen Russia Béatrice Reymann France
11 1996 André Derksen Russia Anke Molkenthin Germany First German to win
12 1997 Lahcen Ahansal Morocco Rosanna Pellizzari Italy First Italian to win
13 1998 Mohamad Ahansal Morocco Rosanna Pellizzari Italy
14 1999 Lahcen Ahansal Morocco Lisa Smith USA First American to win
15 2000 Lahcen Ahansal Morocco Pascale Martin France
16 2001 Lahcen Ahansal Morocco Franca Fiacconi Italy
17 2002 Lahcen Ahansal Morocco Simone Kayser Luxembourg First Luxembourger to win
18 2003 Lahcen Ahansal Morocco Magali Juvenal France
19 2004 Lahcen Ahansal Morocco Simone Kayser Luxembourg
20 2005 Lahcen Ahansal Morocco Simone Kayser Luxembourg
21 2006 Lahcen Ahansal Morocco Géraldine Courdesse France
22 2007 Lahcen Ahansal Morocco Laurence Fricotteaux France
23 2008 Mohamad Ahansal Morocco Touda Didi Morocco First Moroccan woman to win
24 2009 Mohamad Ahansal Morocco Touda Didi Morocco
25 2010 Mohamad Ahansal Morocco Mònica Aguilera Viladomiu Spain First Spaniard to win
26 2011 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Laurence Klein France
27 2012 Salameh Al Aqra Jordan Laurence Klein France
28 2013 Mohamad Ahansal Morocco Meghan Hicks USA
29 2014 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Nikki Kimball USA
30 2015 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Elisabet Barnes Sweden First Swede to win
31 2016 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Natalia Sedykh Russia
32 2017 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Elisabet Barnes Sweden
33 2018 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Magdalena Boulet USA
34 2019 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Ragna Debats Netherlands First Dutchwoman to win
35 2021 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Aziza Raji Morocco
36[12] 2022 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Anna Comet Pascua Spain
37[13] 2023 Mohamed El Morabity Morocco Maryline Nakache France
38 2024 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Aziza El Amrany Morocco
39 2025 Rachid El Morabity Morocco Maryline Nakache France

Notable participants

[edit]
Lahcen Ahansal holds the record for most wins with 10.
Lahcen Ahansal - dressed in traditional clothing in this image - used to hold the record for most wins with 10.
  • Moroccan brothers Lahcen and Mohamad Ahansal, who won 10 and 6 editions, respectively, Mohamad also being 7 times second behind his brother.[14]
  • Lahcen Ahansal and Rachid El Morabity tie the record for most wins with 10 each.
  • Mauro Prosperi, a former Olympian from Sicily, is known for his 10 day disappearance while running in 1994.
  • 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.
  • Marco Olmo, an 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.[15]
  • Chris Moon[16] from Lanarkshire became the first amputee to complete the Marathon des Sables in 1996. Moon had lost his right arm and leg while supervising the clearing of landmines in Mozambique.[17]
  • Dima and Lama Hattab, Jordanian twins, were the first female Middle Eastern participants in the race in 2001.
Rachid El Morabity holds the record for most wins with 11.
  • Jack Osbourne entered in 2006 but quit early on in the second stage. He was running as part of his Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie TV series.
  • Luis Enrique Martínez García (known as Luis Enrique), Spanish former professional footballer, and former manager of FC Barcelona, completed the marathon in 2008.
  • James Cracknell, British rower and adventurer, competed in the 2010 race and became the highest-placing Briton ever to compete in the race, finishing 12th until fellow Briton Danny Kendall placed 5th in 2014. In 2017 Tom Evans became the first Briton to finish in the first three, finishing third overall.[18][19]
  • Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes became the oldest Briton to complete the Marathon des Sables in 2015, at age 71, coached by MDS Coach and 18 x MDS finisher Rory Coleman.[20] In doing so he raised over £1million for the Marie Curie charity. However, in 2024 Harry Hunter became the oldest British finisher at 76 years old [21]
  • Cactus became the first dog to compete the Marathon des Sables in 2019. Cactus, a stray dog, started joining in with the runners during the second stage of the race and then went on to complete the remaining stages of the race. Cactus was awarded the official race number 000 and received his finishers' medal.[22]
  • Belgian YouTuber Robert Van Impe, known as Average Rob completed the 2025 race with his brother Arno. The pair trained for 6 months prior. As of 27 June 2025, their documentary covering their attempt has 1.2 million views.[23]

Incidents

[edit]
  • During the 1994 marathon, Mauro Prosperi was set 291 km (181 mi) off course[24] by a harsh sandstorm. He was lost for 10 days before being found in Algeria, following a well-publicized search of the desert.
  • During the 2021 marathon, a French runner in his early 50s suffered from cardiac arrest which resulted in his death.[25]

Bibliography

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  • Ted Archer:[26] 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
  • 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).
  • Marcel Nickler: Running the Sahara - a diary from the desert and beyond. Norderstedt, BoD 2019. ISBN 978-3750423152
  • 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.
  • Mark Roe: Running from shadows - my Marathon des Sables. Kibworth Beauchamp, Matador 2014. ISBN 978-1-78306-400-7.
  • 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.[27] ISBN 978-0224075077
  • Dr Dan Tunstall Pedoe: Marathon Medicine. 2001,[28] page 186.[29] ISBN 978-1853154607.

Notes

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  1. ^ "Les forçats du désert". Le Monde. 13 April 2012.
  2. ^ Cushing, Steve (2010). 24th Marathon des Sables: a competitor's tale. Matador.
  3. ^ "Marathon des Sables: Cyril Gauthier fait le point". Marathons. 3 September 2025.
  4. ^ "Le Marathon des Sables lance sa version péruvienne". Le Figaro. 25 November 2017.
  5. ^ "Le Marathon des Sables, une semaine hors du temps pour un millier de participants". Le Figaro. 12 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Les forçats du désert". Le Monde. 13 April 2012.
  7. ^ "Archived copy; Race History: The toughest footrace on earth (Running the Sahara Ltd.)". Archived from the original on 2015-04-22. Retrieved 2015-04-19.
  8. ^ Cushing, Steve (2010). 24th Marathon des Sables: a competitor's tale. Matador. p. 5.
  9. ^ "Le Marathon des Sables lance sa version péruvienne". Le Figaro. 25 November 2017.
  10. ^ "Half MDS Fuerteventura". marathondessables.com. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  11. ^ "Marathon des Sables: Cyril Gauthier fait le point". Marathons. 3 September 2025.
  12. ^ "36th Marathon des Sables: Rachid El Morabity, Anna Comet win first stage". HESPRESS English - Morocco News. 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  13. ^ "Mohamed El Morabity Wins 37th Marathon Des Sables". HESPRESS English - Morocco News. 2023-04-28. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  14. ^ «Marathonien des sables, Lahcen Ahansal, enfant nomade et star du désert»
  15. ^ G. De Pascale, Il corridore - Storia di una vita riscattata dallo sport, Ponte alle Grazie 2012
  16. ^ "The Khmer Rouge, Mr Clever and Me". Batting the Breeze. 18 April 2024.
  17. ^ "Chris Moon to tackle Badwater ultra marathon". BBC News. 2012-07-15. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  18. ^ "The Bad Boy Running Podcast". badboyrunningpodcast.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-26. Retrieved 2017-04-25.
  19. ^ "2014 Marathon des Sables Results". irunfar.com/2014/04. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
  20. ^ "Sir Ranulph Fiennes completes desert race Marathon des Sables" at bbc.co.uk Accessed 3 June 2017
  21. ^ "Marathon des Sables: Man becomes oldest Briton to finish Sahara race". 26 April 2024.
  22. ^ "Dog named Cactus finishes desert marathon after epic run across Sahara". Independent.co.uk. 12 April 2019.
  23. ^ Average Rob (2025-06-07). How I Survived The Toughest Footrace on Earth (an Average Rob documentary). Retrieved 2025-06-27 – via YouTube.
  24. ^ "How I drank urine and bat blood to survive". BBC News. 2014-11-27. Retrieved 2024-11-16. I was 291km (181 miles) off course.
  25. ^ Murray, Jessica (2021-10-25). "Marathon des Sables runners say organisers failed in duty of care". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  26. ^ "Archived copy; Ted Archer: Carved by god, cursed by the devil – a true story of running the Sahara Desert (at tedarcher.com)". Archived from the original on 2011-02-02. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
  27. ^ Mike Stroud: "Survival Of The Fittest: Understanding Health and Peak Physical Performance", at amazon.co.uk Accessed 7 June 2017
  28. ^ Dr Dan Tunstall Pedoe: "Marathon Medicine", at amazon.co.uk Accessed 7 June 2017
  29. ^ Dr Dan Tunstall Pedoe: "Marathon Medicine", page 186, at books.google.com Accessed 7 June 2017
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