Morocco Sand Marathon Death
In what might be called the Tour de France of the Sahara Desert due to the astounding athletic and endurance needed to compete in the international Marathon des Sables each year in Morocco, Lahcen Ahansal has came out victorious once again. In what is his tenth win in the 22-year event, he has won each of the last nine races. His twin brother, Mohamed, came in second and the duo are regarded as undefeatable in what could be the most extreme race on Earth.
Representing France, Laurence Fricotteaux won the women’s event and another Frenchman, Mr. Bernard Jule, age 49, suffered a heart attack and died during the last leg of the race. He passed while in his tent near Jebel Kfiroune, a small peak just outside of Rissani, just north of Merzouga in the Sahara, near Erg Chebbi. Jule had competed in the race before and in this year’s event had already completed the most difficult part, covering over 70 kilometers of the distance near Taous. An emergency unit dispatched to the scene couldn’t revive the middle-aged athlete and airlifted the body to Errachidia. Surprisingly, this is only the second death that has ever occurred in the race that began over two decades ago.
The International Sand Marathon or Marathon des Sables is put on by an organization known as Dream Chasers. The extreme sport organization puts on similar races all around the world.
Tags: morocco morocco news morocco travel morocco tours marathon des sables sand marathon sahara
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May 2nd, 2007 at 4:04 am
[…] adventure mountain bike racing. Much like the Marathon des Sables in the south, where this year one sportsman suffered a heart attack. In any case, the MTB Marathon in Morocco could also be compared to the Marrakech Marathon that has […]