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For the 2023 Marathon des Sables, victory is going to Mohamed El Morabity of Morocco and Maryline Nakache of France.
Happening within the Sahara Barren region in Morocco, the 2023 version of the 250-kilometer (150 miles), seven-day, five-stage race kicked off on Sunday, April 23, with the overall aggressive level last on Friday, April 28.
Mohamed El Morabity on his approach to successful the 2023 Marathon des Sables. Picture: iRunFar/Jon Bromley
Each and every 12 months, greater than 1,000 runners compete within the tournament’s 5 aggressive levels, sleep at evening in campsites, and function with meals and power self-sufficiency. The race group supplies a colour tent within the camp, various water, and scientific and emergency help, when wanted.
Given it takes position within the Sahara Barren region, the development is understood for its warmth, in addition to its sandy and rocky terrain. Reliable climate assets pointed to temperatures tipping over the 100 levels Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) mark all through a number of days of this 12 months’s tournament, and thermometers at the floor pitched up above 115 levels Fahrenheit (46 Celsius).
There have been giant upsets within the latter levels of each the lads’s and ladies’s races, with nine-time champion Rachid El Morabity of Morocco chickening out after receiving a penalty for an infringement following the fourth level, whilst in moment position within the total classification.
At the ladies’s aspect, 2019 champion, race chief for the primary 3 levels, and Dutch runner and company favourite Ragna Debats struggled with digestive problems all through the lengthy Level 4, and fell again out of competition for the win.
Even supposing Mohamed El Morabity’s victory may well be moderately tainted via the talk surrounding his older brother’s withdrawal, Mohamed ran a stormer of a race, had already completed first in 3 of the 4 levels, and used to be within the lead total on the time of the incident. Whilst he’s completed in moment position a exceptional 5 instances at this tournament – each and every time at the back of his brother — that is his first victory of the Marathon des Sables.
Ladies’s champion Maryline Nakache had additionally run a gradual and constant race from the beginning, completing moment in each and every of the primary 4 levels earlier than in the long run shifting into the whole ladies’s lead all through Level 4. This used to be her debut Marathon des Sables.
Maryline Nakache, 2023 Marathon des Sables ladies’s champion. Picture: iRunFar/Jon Bromley
2023 Marathon des Sables Males’s Race
It used to be a fast begin to the week, with the primary level being about 36 kilometers lengthy, that includes a climb to the summit of this tournament’s notorious Jebel El Otfal. Stormy and windy stipulations within the afternoon made issues tough for the latter runners, however the entrance finish of the race used to be in large part unaffected via the hurricane.
Level 1 went alongside predicted traces, with Rachid El Morabity taking the lead and completing the level in a time of two:46. His more youthful brother, Mohamed El Morabity, and fellow Moroccan, Aziz Yachou, adopted only a minute again in 2:47. The 2022 UTMB second-place guy, Mathieu Blanchard, of France, used to be the primary in another country runner to complete the level, in fourth position in a time of two:51.
Level 2 used to be slightly shorter at slightly below 32k, but it surely moved into extra technical terrain with greater elevation alternate. Rachid once more took off in entrance, however within the latter a part of the level and on a clean run into the end, he used to be overtaken via his brother Mohamed, who received the level in a time of two:29, not up to a minute forward of Rachid in moment and Yachou in 3rd. Rachid nonetheless held the whole lead via a slim margin on the finish of the level, adopted via Mohamed and Yachou. Blanchard, who had completed 5th in the second one level at the back of Russia’s Vasilii Korytkin, held directly to fourth position total.
Aziz Yachou takes moment on the 2023 Marathon des Sables. Picture: iRunFar/Jon Bromley
Within the 3rd level of round 34k, Mohamed asserted his dominance, successful the level in 2:30 to Rachid and Yachou’s 2:33, and lengthening his total result in 3 mins. Blanchard persevered to carry his personal in fourth position.
The lads’s podium race for Level 4 used to be so tight, particularly for the reason that it used to be the only lengthy level within the week in racing, this 12 months clocked at 90k. Mohamed once more crossed the road first, in 8:14:39. Yachou completed the level in moment position, simply six seconds at the back of the lead, and Rachid arrived in 3rd, most effective 19 seconds at the back of the winner. This tight race stored Mohamed within the lead within the total classification, Rachid in moment, and Yachou in 3rd, however with a variety of only some mins.
Controversy ensued following this fourth level, when Rachid used to be issued a three-hour time penalty for receiving outdoor help and withdrew from the race, which we now have extra on in a separate information piece. After Rachid withdrew from the race, Yachou moved as much as moment position within the total classification. Blanchard, who used to be continuously working his personal race at the back of the leaders, now discovered himself in podium place.
At the marathon-distance Level 5, the ultimate aggressive level, Mohamed persevered his display of power to complete in 3:18, 5 mins transparent of Yachou in moment. In a complete time of nineteen:19:54 for the 5 aggressive levels, Mohamed El Morabity used to be topped the 2023 Marathon des Sables males’s champion.
A combat ensued at the back of, with Vasilii Korytkin in the end beating Blanchard to the road, to take 3rd position in Level 5. Alternatively, Blanchard held on to 3rd position total in a time of 21:21:27.
Mathieu Blanchard celebrates taking 3rd on the 2023 Marathon des Sables. Picture: iRunFar/Jon Bromley
2023 Marathon des Sables Males’s Effects
- Mohamed El Morabity (Morocco) — 19:19:54
- Aziz Yachou (Morocco) — 19:29:09
- Mathieu Blanchard (France) — 21:21:27
- Vasilii Korytkin (Russia) — 22:36:26
- Il Yass Zouhry (France) — 23:08:06
2023 Marathon des Sables Ladies’s Race
The quick first level used to be ruled as anticipated via 2019 winner Ragna Debats, who completed in 3:26, virtually 10 mins transparent of Maryline Nakache in moment. The highest native used to be Aziza El Amrany of Morocco, who adopted in 3rd in 3:53. Whilst this used to be Nakache’s first look at this race, El Amrany used to be returning following a 3rd position on the 2022 version.
The extra mountainous terrain on Level 2 performed to Debats’s strengths, and she or he romped house in 3:19 to Nakache’s 3:36, thus extending her total result in round 28 mins. El Amrany persevered to run stable in 3rd place.
Into the 3rd level, Debats completed 11 mins forward of Nakache, for the level win. However Debats’s end time and position doesn’t expose the overall tale, that she lagged for a length all through Level 3, used to be handed and misplaced the lead, earlier than regaining it to win the level. As we might quickly see, this used to be a harbinger of issues to come back for Debats. El Armany once more completed the level in 3rd, however this time just a minute again from Nakache and showing very at ease.
Aziza El Amrany, completing moment on the 2023 Marathon des Sables, is welcomed to the end line via race director Patrick Bauer. Picture: iRunFar/Jon Bromley
As all of us now know, the whole lot modified within the fourth day — the infamous lengthy level, which used to be 90k for 2023. Debats led to start with, however then fell again a couple of hours after the beginning, reportedly struggling digestive problems. Admirably, even though not in competition for a podium spot, she powered on to complete the level in 21:34, 9 hours and 49 mins again of the lead. El Amrany, who looked to be getting more potent because the week went on, received the level in 11:44. Nakache once more took moment, this time trailing a distinct chief, and moved into pole place within the race total, nonetheless virtually 33 mins forward of El Armany within the total classification.
For Level 5, the race’s ultimate aggressive level, Nakache sailed easily to the level victory, completing the day’s marathon distance in 4:18. This sealed Maryline Nakache’s victory on the 2023 Marathon des Sables with a complete time of 27:02:17.
In this ultimate day, Tomomi Bitoh, of Japan, used to be around the line in moment in 4:33, and El Amrany crossed only some mins later in 4:36 in 3rd position. El Amrany had a vital lead in moment position, over Bitoh in 3rd within the total classification, so a quick end used to be no longer wanted. Following up on her 3rd position ultimate 12 months, Aziza El Amrany improves to take moment within the 2023 Marathon des Sables ladies’s race in 27:53:37, and Tomomi Bitoh took 3rd in 29:39:51.
Early chief Debats completed in 8th position within the total classification for the ladies.
Tomomi Bitoh taking a look more than happy on her approach to completing 3rd on the 2023 Marathon des Sables. Picture: iRunFar/Jon Bromley
2023 Marathon des Sables Ladies’s Race
- Maryline Nakache (France) — 27:02:17
- Aziza El Amrany (Morocco) — 27:53:37
- Tomomi Bitoh (Japan) — 29:39:51
- Corina Sommer (Switzerland) — 31:35:13
- Elise Delannoy (France) — 33:32:01
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