The 2025 version of the Marathon des Sables was a 252.8km (157-mile) six-day ultra marathon which took place in the Sahara Desert in southern Morocco.
It started on Sunday, April 6 and finished on Saturday, April 12.
The route is always around 250 kilometres, distributed over six stages, with an impressive difference in altitude – and temperatures that can reach 50 degrees in the full sun.
It’s a true test of endurance and solidarity, where team spirit and physical and mental preparation are essential keys to success. This is a self-sufficient adventure. Participants carry all their own equipment and food, except for water and a tent.
Marathon des Sables live tracking
Marathon des Sables runs a race tracking website to follow competitions. They do so by tracking the geolocation through ‘spot’ tags – here’s the live link for 2025.
The tracking devices allow the race organiser to ensure no competitors get lost on the course.
Click on the updates below for reports from each of the 2025 stages…
Marathon des Sables
start list
10-time and defending men’s champion Rachid El Morabity of Morocco wears the #1 bib this year but he faces a whole host of familiar rivals – click here for full start list.
And in the women’s race we’ve got the last two winners in Morocco’s Aziza El Amrany and Maryline Nakache of France as well as 2019 victor Ragna Debats (NED). The full start list is here.
Notable runners
Route
The exact route of the race is always unknown until a day before. Full details to follow…
Sunday April 6
Stage 1 – 32km, 312m elevation gain
Monday April 7
Stage 2 – 40km, 614m elevation gain
Tuesday April 8
Stage 3 – 32.5km, 468m elevation gain
Wednesday April 9 / Thursday 10
Stage 4 – 82.2km (double stage), 690m elevation gain
Friday April 11
Stage 5 – 42.2km, 424m elevation gain
Saturday April 12
Stage 6 – 21.1km, 202m elevation gain
Marathon des Sables winners
Men’s Past winners
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- 10 – Lahcen Ahansal (Morocco) – 1997, 1999-2007
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- 5 – Mohamad Ahansal (Morocco) – 1998, 2008-2010, 2013
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- 4 – Hassan Sebtaoui (France) – 1987, 1989-1991
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- 3 – André Derksen (Russia) – 1994-1996
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- 2 – Mohamed Bensalah (Morocco) – 1992-93
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- 2 – Bernard Gaudin (France) – 1986, 1988
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- 1 – Salameh Al Aqra (Jordan) – 2012
Record Time: Bernard Gaudin (France) – 1988 (14:39:44)
Women’s Past Winners
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- 3 – Laurence Fricotteaux-Klein (France) – 2007, 2011-12
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- 3 – Simone Kayser (Luxembourg) 2002, 2004-05
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- 2 – Elisabet Barnes (Sweden) – 2015, 2017
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- 2 – Touda Didi (Morocco) – 2008-09
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- 2 – Rossana Pellizzari (Italy) – 1997-98
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- 2 – Moniqúe Frussote (France) – 1991-92
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- 2 – Marie-Ange Malcuit (France) – 1987-88
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- 1 – Anna Comet (Spain) – 2022
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- 1 – Aziza Raji (Morocco) – 2021
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- 1 – Ragna Debats (Netherlands) – 2019
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- 1 – Magdalena Boulet (USA) – 2018
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- 1 – Natalia Sedykh (Russia) – 2016
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- 1 – Nikki Kimball (USA) – 2014
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- 1 – Meghan Hicks (USA) – 2013
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- 1 – Mònica Aguilera Viladomiu (Spain) – 2010
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- 1 – Géraldine Courdesse (France) – 2006
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- 1 – Magali Juvenal (France) – 2003
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- 1 – Franca Fiacconi (Italy) – 2001
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- 1 – Pascal Martin (France) – 2000
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- 1 – Lisa Smith (USA) – 1999
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- 1 – Anke Molkenthin (Germany) – 1996
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- 1 – Béatrice Reymann (France) – 1995
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- 1 – Valentina Liakhova (Russia) – 1994
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- 1 – Irina Petrova (Russia) – 1993
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- 1 – Claire Garnier (France) – 1990
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- 1 – Claude Battistelli (France) 1989
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- 1 – Christiane Plumere (France) – 1986
Record Time: Béatrice Reymann (France) – 1995 (21:25:22)
*No race in 2020.
Past winners
Tab 2 content.
