March 2011 MDS Press Conference

The 26th anniversary MDS, will be the longest yet!!!

Paris: Press conference back


25/03/2011

The 26th SULTAN MARATHON DES SABLES press conference took place on 10 March at the National Moroccan Tourist Office in Paris, marking the media launch of the 2011 event.

Back in 1986, 23 pioneers took off from the start line to tackle ergs, dried-up (or not-so-dried-up) oueds, scorching heat and sand dunes.
Instead of being met with a cry of “never again”, each event has seen numbers of participants rise.

In a fortnight’s time, almost 900 “desert loonies” will set off into the Moroccan swelter.

Everyone’s looking forward to it – organizers, sponsors, the media and all kinds of athletes.

So, on 10 March, Patrick Bauer invited a large crowd to the presentation of the 26th SULTAN MARATHON DES SABLES, and the event was a great success
Around thirty journalists attended, including the AFP, teams from TV5 Monde and Eurosport 2, and the Moroccan TV station 2M, who came specially from Casablanca.
There were also event partners like Allianz, Transavia.com, Jogging International and of course Sultan teas, without which the race wouldn’t be happening.
This year once again, Patrick Bauer and his team have rustled up a course worthy of the race’s international reputation, to be revealed to competitors when they are handed the road book upon arrival in Ouarzazate.

The only tantalizing scrap of information so far is that the 26th SULTAN MARATHON DES SABLES will be the longest yet, taking runners 700 m further than last year, for a grand total of 250 km 700m.

Although most competitors simply aim to reach the finishing line, there is little doubt that Mohamad Ahansal will once more try to get his surname written on the first step of the podium.

As for the women, Touda Didi will be looking to win back the title. But the current holder Monica Aguilera, and Frenchwoman Laurence Klein clearly don’t see things the same way.

Set your diaries for 3 April at the start line to see the adventure take off.