What a day! Stage 3 of the 2025 The Coastal Challenge will go down in history… Local legend, Erick Aguero pulled back a 16-minute deficit after stages 1 and 2 and now leads the race after an epic winning margin of 23-minutes.
This is Nauyaca with Pitufollow – Photo by Ian Corless
Stage 3 with more technical trail, played into the hands of Erick and at the Nauyaca Waterfall he already had a lead of 5-minutes. This lead increased from cp too cp, Erick was on a mission. By the final beach section, has lead was +/- 23-minutes. He held on to the line to take a stunning stage win and overall lead.
Pierre chasing hard – Photo by Ian Corless
Pierre Meslet was running strong all day and post-race he confirmed he felt good and was running strong. He gave kudos to Erick on a stunning stage and he also confirmed, “If Erick wants to win, he has a fight on his hands!”
Katie – Photo by Ian Corless
For the women, Katie Young was once again untouchable. She was running strong and what looked like without effort all day. Post the finish line, she confirmed she was 30-minutes quicker than last year, she is unbeatable.
Lucia – Photo by Ian Corless
Lucia Jarquin was once again 2nd on the stage and now, after 3-stages is 6-hours and 24-minutes behind Katie.
Pura Vida – Photo by Ian Corless
Stage 4, tomorrow, moves away from the ocean and into the more mountainous and technical trail that Erick loves. It’s going to be an exciting day.
It’s a rainforest, and last night the rain came. As per usual, it was short lived, but it was a torrential downpour that had an impact on those who had not been careful with admin in camp. If careless, everything was wet…
Everyone was asleep as early as possible. Stage 2 would have a 0500 depart by bus for adventure and an 0530 start for Expedition. Breakfast started from 0300.
Allan – Photo by Ian Corless
Out of camp, the Expedition runner’s went straight into a steep sharp climb, the ground now muddy and slippery from the rain. Humidity was high but temperatures were cool.
A hot day – Photo by Ian Corless
At the top, a rollercoaster of gravel roads lead to cp1, El Brujo, and then more gravel road and rainforest to cp2, Dos Bocas.
At cp2 Adventure started and the route drops all the way down to the ocean, but before, cp3 at Hatillo.
Photo by Ian Corless
A water crossing leads to a long and hot beach section before finishing on the beach in Dominical.
Magdalena – Photo by Ian Corless
Erick Aguero started the day hard, pushing and pushing to open up a gap on Pierre Meslet. This is Erick’s 7th TCC and he has been on the podium many times, 2nd the highest, this year he wants to win.
At the top of the climb, Pierre was a few minutes back but relaxed.
For the women, Katie Young once again is in a race on her own and actually, is more than likely to place 3rd overall if she continues this relentless charge. She is on fire.
Pierre – Photo by Ian Corless
40km is a long tough day for Expedition and with the charge from Erick, many wondered what would happen. The due arrived together for the water crossing just after cp3. With a long flat beach straight to the line, this would fall into the hands to Pierre’s fast running style. Erick could just look on as the gap opened, he had fought hard, took a chance and today, he gained no time, the gap is 16-minutes. Allan Barrielle is 3rd, 1-hour 25-minutes behind Pierre.
Katies – Photo by Ian Corless
Katie dominated the day for the women, her lead now after 2 days is 3-hours 21-minutes over Lucia Jarquin and 4-hours 25-minutes over Maria Jose Corrales. TCC competition winner, Mirabela Ticu is 4th.
Mirabela – Photo by Ian CorlessPhoto by Ian Corless
Tomorrow, stage 3, is 46km’s and includes the iconic Nauyaca waterfalls.
It was an 0330 departure from San Jose to arrive at Quepos at the start of stage 1 at 0800.
The heat and humidity was already high and a tough day, as always was expected. The iconic Del Rey beach a backdrop to the start and the Pacific Ocean splashing on to the beach.
Photo by Ian Corless
The day, 33km’s with the opening km’s, all the way to cp1 and beyond, were flat and runnable. Always dangerous. Day 1 should be taken slow and steady, easing in to the week and the heat/ humidity. Boca Naranjito at 13.5km was the first cp, followed by Londres at 19.5km. Los Campenos at 30km was the 3rd cp to provide some refreshment before a tough final 3km. The finish at Rafiki Lodge.
Photo by Ian Corless
Last years TCC champion Katie Young, started like a rocket running the opening 10km’s solo at the front.
Photo by Ian CorlessKatie – Photo by Ian Corless
Pierre Meslet and Erick Aguero finally caught her and took the lead two places, but Katie never stopped and ran all the way to the line with a convincing victory and 3rd overall.
Pierre – Photo by Ian Corless
Pierre and Erick were always expected to be the duo battling at the front but finally, around 16km’s the elastic snapped and Pierre broke away soloing to the line with a very strong lead ahead of the Costa Rican and local favourite.
Sergio had a tough day in the heat – Photo by Ian Corless
With two races, Expedition and Adventure, the participants fought hard to tackle the terrain, which became increasingly difficult as the stage progressed. The final section the toughest with a challenging water crossing to conclude the day.
Both races were 33km, but the expedition had more vertical gain, 1115m in contrast to 894m.
It’s a common question, ‘What does it cost to run a MDS event?’
Of course, there is no one definitive answer, however, i’s easy to provide a breakdown of costs and then make adjustments from there, so here is a summary.
RACE ENTRY
In simple terms, Marathon des Sables have two event formats, The Legendary, which is the 6-stage event 0f 250km’s which in 2026 will be 40-years old, and, MDS events which are 3-stages over 4-days with the option of 70/100 or 120km’s. MDS Trek while following the classic MDS format (70/100/120) does vary a little and has extra days-
Entry Costs:
Legendary 4000,00 euro +/-
MDS 2150 to 2650 euro+/-
TRAVEL COSTS
Photo by Ian Corless
Legendary or MDS events do not include travel to the country destination. Considering the variety of locations, the price here varies considerably. For example, Morocco and Fuerteventura have many flight options from many countries and they are facilitated, often, by budget airlines such as Easyjet.
By contrast, Jordan, Namibia and Peru require much more complicated and expensive travel often with connecting flights. A word of caution, the cheapest option here is not always the best option. Read the small print. I would also advise, planning to arrive at least one day earlier than required by the MDS organisation. This allows for delays or cancelled flights.
Also consider transfer costs to and from your departure airport. When on the ground in your race country, MDS provide transfers to and from the race hotel which are included in the race entry package.
HOTELS
Photo by Ian Corless
The Legendary and MDS packages include hotels as part of the event package. What is available does vary from event to event. For example, with Legendary the meet up point is Ouarzazate airport with a direct transfer to bivouac one. MDS events typically have 1 or 2 nights hotel before stage 1 of the race.
All events transfer to a hotel after the finish for typically 2 nights.
So, if you plan to arrive early or stay on after, these hotel costs will be for you to pay, anticipate a budget of around 150 euro +/- per night with food.
This is often a hidden cost that many don’t consider. You may enter Legendary one year advance, think about all the elements that will come in to play when preparing. Below is an idea of things to consider:
Running shoes
Clothing for varying temperatures
Gym membership
Coaching/ Training Plan
Physiotherapy/ massage
Training camp.
Heat training
The above list provides a guideline of items to consider. At a minimum, its fair to assume that you should set aside at least 2000 euro for the above each year.
Of course, if you have a coach, weekly massage, gym membership, love apparel and shoes, you will easily spend considerably more than 2000 euro.
A good protocol is to set aside 250 euro per month.
MDS EQUIPMENT
There is often much discussion about equipment for an MDS event. Take a deep breath. It is not complicated, actually, it’s very simple.
The first and most important point, just because you have entered an MDS event, there is no need or requirement to go and purchase all new equipment. If you have apparel that is comfortable and causes no irritation, there is no need to change it. If you have trail shoes that work, are comfortable and importantly cause no blisters, there is no need to change shoes BUT there are things to consider with shoes – readhereand here.
You could actually follow on the links above and you’d have the perfect MDS kit. You would just ned to make considerations for any climatic changes for the race destinations and also consider how many days you need food for. Remember, with Legendary, you are self-sufficient before the race too!
1949.00 euro +/-
It’s fair to assume that on average, a first time MDS participant will spend approximately 2000 euro to equip him or herself for an MDS. There are variables of course based on individual needs and the quality of items you purchase. My top tip is get the best you can afford, it will last longer and ultimately save you money. Based on experience, I would consider an absolute minimum budget to be 1250 euro.
The plus side of all this, once you have done an MDS event, the next event is considerably cheaper.
NOTE: The above list is considered to be the minimum equipment requirement. Oyher things to consider: poles, GPX watch, mp3 player… etc
HIDDEN COSTS
No matter how much you plan and prepare, there will be hidden costs. A great example being equipment… You will buy items and maybe they just don’t work for you and you need to replace them.
Other MDS participants will recommed X or Y product which places a question in your mind and then you purchase because you were curious.
You may get injured and require treatment and rehab with a great deal of additional costs.
Plan for the unplanned.
INSURANCE
Get insurance that covers you comprehensively for all eventualities. Do this the moment you sign up for a MDS event. You would not believe how many runner’s do not make it to the start line, for a multitude of reasons, only to find out that they were not covered by insurance.
MDS do offer free postponement and the opportunity to cancel free of charge. However, this is not open ended and conditions do apply. Make sure you understand what those conditions are and please note, they vary from event to event.
Look at Dogtag, BMC, Global Rescue, World Nomads, Sports Cover Direct etc – Make sure you speak with an agent and fully explain the event you are doing and what cover you need and require.
How long is a piece of string…? The above is designed to provide an outline of costs broken down so that you can see, roughly, what an event will cost.
LEGENDARY
If you are taking part in Legendary, one you add entry, flights, training time (and the costs), purchasing a full equipment list and having insurance, you are looking at a staring cost of 8000 euro +/-
MDS
MDS events require all the same equipment as Legendary, however, entry fee is less and the race days are less. A starting budget would be 4000 euros +/-
CONCLUSION
Taking part in any endurance sport is never cheap. However, life is short and adventures are to be lived. Marathon des Sables offer adventures all over the world in stunning locations. What you get is superb organisation and safety – that comes at a price. When you arrive at a race, you immediately see how your race entry fee is spent, be that the welcome at the airport, the transfers, the hotel, the transfer to the desert, bivouac, on course route planning and safety, the gala dinner and awards ceremony – MDS offer a full 360 experience that has been fine tuned to make your race the most memorable experience of your life.
Photo by Ian Corless
Interested in an MDS event in 2025?
A full calendar of dates and destinations are available HERE
There is always something special about a first edition race. Despite all the planning, despite tight schedules, despite ticking all the boxes, there is always an element of the unknown, a curve ball nobody expected or predicted flying in and causing a problem. Gladly, no curve ball arrived on the Atlantic Coast, on the contrary, the first edition of MDS Morocco Atlantic Coast was a huge success and without hiccup.
Morocco is obviously not a new destination for MDS, Legendary is in its 39th year and MDS Morocco, MDS Morocco Trek and Handi MDS have all happened previously, so, a new event in Morocco feels comfortable.
Close to Agadir, the MDS Morocco Atlantic Coast brings something new to MDS events in Morocco and obviously brings something special to the MDS line up.
Photo by Ian Corless
Like Fuerteventura and Peru, the ocean provides a backdrop to the race and this alone is unique. The juxtaposition of desert, dunes, beach and the roar of waves and the blue ocean make for a special environment for a race to take place.
LOGISTICS
As with all MDS events, the race is 3-stages taking place over 4-days with 3 distance options, 70km, 100km and 120km. Stage 1 and Stage 3 is the same for all participants and stage 2 is the one where a choice must be made, typically 20km, 40km or 60km. It’s a great format that makes MDS appealing for all ages and all abilities.
With 170 participants and 27 nationalities, the MDS Morocco Atlantic Coast was a great first edition. Notably, once again, female participation was around 50%. MDS are without doubt pioneering the way for female participation in their races and this must be applauded and encouraged.
Photo by Ian Corless
Travel to Morocco is easy and transfers were provided by MDS from Marrakech (appx 6-hours) or from Agadir, with just a 40-minute transfer to the race hotel, needless to say, most people flew to Agadir.
Photo by Ian Corless
A Saturday arrival and a Saturday departure, the race format had 2 nights in the hotel, 4-days and 3-nights in the desert and then a return to the hotel for 2-nights before onward travel.
The format provides an excellent opportunity to mix holiday and relaxation with sport.
THE EVENT
Saturday arrival was relaxed and with no commitments for the participants.
Photo by Ian Corless
Sunday mornning and the MDS admin protocols were in place between 0900 and 1200, this is a requirement for eah participant – equipment is checked, medical certificates are checked, GPX trackers are added to packs and race numbers are provided. The whole thing is efficient, seamless and fast.
The afternoon provided an opportunity for relaxation or sight seeing and then an early dinner and bed.
Departure time for day 1 was 0300 for a 5-hour journey to the desert. On arrival, the plan, as always, was to get the runner’s underway as soon as possible.
Highway to Hell finished and the participants departed under cloudy skies at approximately 0930.
Photo by Ian Corless
Day 1, stage 1 at 24km’s headed from an inland location and basically headed directly to the coast. The terrain was mixed, with some easy running to start the day, of course, sand featured heavily with a dune section coming just after CP1 and a final dune section concluding the race just before the finish. Temperatures reached a high of 25-degrees and it was a great first day. Bivouac awaited the runner’s and a first night in sleeping bags with self-sufficiency started. The wind blew and the temperatures dropped, a chilly night was expected. Stage summary HERE
Photo by Ian Corless
Day 2, stage 2, intermittent rain and wind blew in off the ocean and there was a sense of dread at what this day would bring, especially for those participants who would take on the 40 or 60km distances. A challenging start and just a few hours later the weather started to clear and finally, skies cleared and the sun came to make for a beautiful day, highs reached 28-degrees. The course offered an obvious challenge mixing the best of Moroccan terrain with tsome stunning dune sections. The latter km’s running parallel to the ocean to give an epic backdrop. The race wnt into the night with the final finisher arriving just after midnight. Stage summary HERE
Photo by Ian Corless
Day 3 was a welcome rest day. The skies were blue, the wind gentle and the warmth of the sun relaxing. It was a leisurely and relaxed start to the day. At 1130, blue and orange coats with participants walked to the beach and on the way cleared away rubbish and notably huge amounts of plastic. We race in these magical places and sadly, littering and pollution is high. The ocean obviously washing in debris daily. It was a huge campaign and yes, we may have only provided a small dent in what is a very big problem, however, it felt good and the difference afterwards was noticeable. The remainder of the day was releaxed, as per usual, mid-afternoon, a cold and refreshing drink was provided and as darkness came, most were already in sleeping bags gaining valuable rest before the final day.
Photo by Ian Corless
Day 4, stage 3 and what a start to the day, the wind was howling from the north bringing with it, at times, torrential rain. Runner’s were ready for the challenge though, with 2 starts, 0800 and 0930 for the top-25, the day got underway and gladly, by 0830 the rain stopped. However, the wind did not. The wind blew and blew, providing a constant headwind and relentless sand storms for the whole 27km’s. It was an epic and special day. Yes, it was hard but boy was it memorable. The joy, the emotion and the tears at the finish made the medal only more special. From the finish line, buses were waiting and as each was filled, they then departed back to Agadir for hotel comforts – shower, buffet dinner and a night in a bed with sheets and comfort. Stage summary HERE
Photo by Ian Corless
The following day was one of relaxation. Dinner was served at 1900 and then followed at 2000 hrs with a closing ceremony, awards and the showing of the MDS Morocco Atlantic Coast movie. The atmosphere was electric, the feedback incredible, the emotion high, it was a very memorable ceremony that only confirmed the success of the event. An outdoor DJ and dancing concluded the night and brought to a close this first edition.
Saturday and onward journies home.
NOTES AND CONSIDERATIONS
Photo by Ian Corless
MDS events are meant to challenge you both physically and mentally, some challenge more than others. MDS Morocco Atlantic Coast certainly falls in the latter category with challenging weather and varying temperatures. Having experienced 20 MDS events all over the world, my top-tip is ‘be prepared!’ Deserts are not always hot, they are not always dry and they are not always calm. Have with you a waterproof/ windproof layer, have with you a warm layer (lightweight down or primaloft jacket) and make sure you have eye protection. Trust me, those who did not have sunglasses or goggles for stage 3 suffered badly trying to move forward in a headwind for 27km’s.
Photo by Ian Corless
Be prepared with a variety of food choices and undesrtstand that what tastes good at home, may not taste good the desert. A balance of sweet and savoury s good and take note, as days pass, the demand for sweet becomes less.
Photo by Ian Corless
Prepare the mind for the challenge. Understand the WHY you are doing the event and be prepared for anything. The body is an amazing thing that could do incredible things, however, it needs to work in harmony and synergy with the mind to achieve your goals.
CONCLUSION
Photo by Ian Corless
MDS Morocco Atlantic Coast was a huge success. We were all tested by the weather but this only made the event more special and memorable. The MDS event team have called it the Viavaldi race as we had all four seasons. The Atlantic Coast brings something special to Morocco and in contrast to Legendary, MDS Morocco and MDS Trek, the terrain is different, unique and of course, the ocean as a backdrop is special. No doubt, this event will grow to become an MDS favourite. January is great timing, what a great way to start a year and globally, few races take place so early in the year making this an easy option for those looking for something special post Christmas.
The wind blew strong during the night causing a restless night for many. To add to the fatigue, rain arrived as the runner’s started to pack and get ready for the third and final stage.
It was an ominous start and it was clear that there was high anxiety for each participant, with 27km’s to go, this was not going to be an easy last day.
Photo by Ian Corless
The first wave left at 0800 and the top-25 departed at 0930. Gladly, the rain disappeared, however, the wind did not…
It was a northerly headwind for the entire 27km’s creating some of the most memorable moments and images of any MDS event.
Photo by Ian Corless
Runner’s battled, heads down, hands shielding faces and they fought what would seem like a never ending battle against nature to the finish line.
Photo by Ian Corless
But the finish line came for all and with it, great emotion.
Photo by Ian Corless
Stage 3 of the first edition of MDS Morocco Atlantic Coast was brutally beautiful. Relentless impressive dunes, the Atlantic Ocean to the left and the final 10km’s along the beach made for a completely memorable MDS.
Photo by Ian Corless
Tears, joy, emotion, relief and the bling of a medal all made the journey worthwhile.
Photo by Ian Corless
The journey for each participant unique. The experience unique. But there was one common thread…
‘We survived and experienced a truly memorable journey along the Atlantic Coast of Morocco.’
Stage 2 of MDS Morocco Atlantic Coast and the option to choose the stage distance: 20km, 40km or 60km?
Photo by Ian Corless
One of the appealing factors of the MDS format is the stage 2 distance option, with stage 1 and 3 the same for all, the stage 2 option allows for an overall distance of 70km, 100km or 120km.
Photo by Ian Corless
The day started under heavy cloud and winds coming from the north . At 0845 as participants arrived for the start, rain started to fall. It was an ominous beginning for the day and the weather remained challenging with rain increasing in strength during the morning.
Photo by Ian Corless
Gladly, by midday, blue skies and sun started to appear, however, the wind increased in strength and continued to do so into the night.
Photo by Ian Corless
With epic landscape, stunning dunes, there was much to appreciate in this stage and despite the weather, runner’s were constantly smiling.
Photo by Ian Corless
With three distances, rankings change after stage 2, often considerably, for example, Listy Mazille, a clear winner on stage 1 is now the leader of the 1ookm and we have a new leader in the 120km category now.
The 2025 Marathon des Sables calendar kicks-off the a new event, MDS Morocco Atlantic Coast, a great addition to the MDS line-up and now the fourth event in the country, the others, Legendary, MDS Morocco and MDS Morocco Trek.
Photo by Ian Corless
Located close to Agadir, the MDS Morocco Atlantic Coast explores a new area of this magical country.
Photo by Ian Corless
For stage 1 it was a very early start of 0300 for the drive from Agadir and the start line.
Photo by Ian Corless
Kicking-off at 0930, 170 runners from 27 nationalities started the 23km journey with 344m+ heading north to the coastline of the Atlantic Coast. Of the 170 participants, 50% of the field are women, MDS once again pioneering the way for female participation in ultra races.
Photo by Ian Corless
The day started with hard pack runnable terrain making for easy km’s before a dune passage, followed by a gorge and finally high dunes with the glimmer of the ocean in the distance. Cloud and a chill in the air soon moved away to leave blue skies and daily high temperatures of 27-degrees.
Photo by Ian Corless
Yoann Stuck and Listy Mazille dominated the day. Yoann finishing the day in a super-fast 01:49:52 ahead of Göran Schrey and Stephan Bawey, 02:01:30 and 02:01:52 respectively.
For the women, Listy crossed the line in 02:16:58, a huge gap opened up with Janina Beck 2nd in 02:39:43. Anne-Caroline Kusinierz was 3rd in 02:43:08.
The 2025 Oman Desert Marathon came to a conclusion with a 21km stage finishing at Al Jawharat Resort in Bidiyah.
Mohamed El Morabity and Aziza Raji were crowned champions.
Photo by Ian Corless
The stage, in comparison to those that had gone before was considered ‘easier,’ with less soft-sand making for a faster pace and easier running. However, a beautiful dune section started the day with impressive 360 views.
Photo by Ian Corless
It was one last big effort before receiving a finishers medal that was hard earned.
Saleh and Mohamed – Photo by Ian Corless
At the front of the race, Mohamed and Saleh pushed a hard pace, no doubt worried that Rachid was on a charge after his previous stage victory and win by a big margin. Mohamed was constantly looking behind fearful for his elder brother. However, Rachid looked relaxed and content that he would be second on the overall finishers podium.
Rachid – Photo by Ian Corless
In the closing km, Mohamed put his foot on the gas and pulled away taking the final stage victory by 22-seconds. Rachid would finish 4-minutes and 28-seconds later.
For the women, Aziza Raji was a clear and stand out winner. She once again won the final stage and was crowned the 2025 champion. Lydia Oldham finished second and Tanja Schoenenborn third. The final women’s podium would be Aziza Raji, Lydia Oldham and Sally Ford.
The 2025 edition of the Oman Desert Marathon will remembered for cold nights, hot days and relentless soft-sand. At 165km’s over 5-stages, the race is a tough one, Mohamed completed the whole route in 15:44:25, Aziza in 22:39:17 and for perspective, the last person concluded in 33:21:18, twice as long as the race winner.
Luigi – Photo by Ian Corless
While a tough challenge, the ODM appeals and caters for runner or walker, especially with the option to take a 100km option, basically broken down as 20km’s per day.
Emotion – Photo by Ian Corless
Planning will now start to take place for 2026, if you enjoy stage racing, the desert and making new friends, the Oman Desert Marathon provides a perfect experience for experienced or novice.
It was a morning of relaxation in bivouac, today, stage 4, has the participants starting at staggered times based on ranking. The first departure 1400, the second 1500 and lastly, the fast group at 1700.
The start times are designed to allow all participants to experience the Oman Desert under darkness.
The 30km stage starts with 6.8km’s of dunes and then after a left turn, the route takes a direct line to the finish line and final bivouac night before the final stage tomorrow.
Aziza – Photo by Ian Corless
In the 1500 departure, the top women raced head-to-head and unsurprisingly, Aziza Raji once again dominated in 03:59:21 followed by Lydia Oldham, 04:20:23 and today Tanja Schoenenborn, 04:46:13, had a very strong day finishing 30-minutes ahead of Sally Ford.
Tanja – Photo by Ian Corless
In the men’s race, it was all guns blazing from the off with Rachid El Morabity setting a super fast pace. It came as a surprise as he has taken the first three stages very relaxed.
Rachid – Photo by Ian Corless
He pushed ahead and at cp1 had an 8-minute lead. He continued the charge and crossed the line in 02:37:43.
Photo by Ian Corless
Behind, Saleh Alsaidi and Mohamed El Morabity chased both pushing each other hard. The elastic eventuall snapped and Mohamed pulled away to cross in 02:44:22, 6-minutes 39-seconds behind his brother. Saleh secured third in 02:50:06.
Photo by Ian Corless
The final and fifth stage tomorrow will have the participants run a 21km stage. It’s a flat and fast stage with just a short section of dunes to start the day.
IAN CORLESS 