Ultramarathon Guide

ART. 1 : ORGANIZATION

The 33rd MARATHON DES SABLES is organized by ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION Internationale and will take place from 06 to 16 April 2018 in southern Morocco. This 33rd annual event will take place under the aegis of the MOROCCAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM and will bring together around 1 300 French and foreign participants.

ART. 2 : DEFINITION OF THE COMPETITION

The 33rd MARATHON DES SABLES is a foot race, open to runners and walkers, with several stages, free style, and with food self-sufficiency over a distance of about 250 Km. Each participant must carry his/her own backpack containing food, sleeping gear and other material.

ART. 3 : GENERAL CONDITIONS

The 33rd MARATHON DES SABLES will be administered according to the general race regulations and their amendments (road book,…), to which all participants agree when they register.

ART. 4 : CONDITIONS OF ADMISSION FOR PARTICIPANTS

Anyone meeting the following conditions will be accepted: over 18, any citizenship. Competitors must hold a medical certificate issued by the organization stating their ability to participate and a resting ECG report.
Teenagers over 16 may participate in the 33rd MARATHON DES SABLES subject to prior consent from ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION Internationale and written permission from a parent or guardian. They will have to meet the same requirements as adults.

ART. 5 : CATEGORIES OF PARTICIPANTS

CATEGORY A : INDIVIDUAL

CATEGORY B : TEAM PARTICIPANT

CATEGORY A :Every entrant will be ranked. In addition to the general ranking, there will be placing for :

• females,
• veteran M1 (aged 40 – 49),
• veteran M2 (aged 50 – 59),
• veteran M3 (aged 60 – 69),
• veteran M4 (aged 70 – 79),
• veteran W1 (aged 40 to 49),
• veteran W2 (aged 50 to 59),
• veteran W3 (aged 60 to 69),
• veteran W4 (aged 70 to 79).

Classification is based on year of birth.

CATEGORY B : TEAM PARTICIPANT
A team is made up of at least three runners. To remain in the race, all three members of the team must complete the race. However each member is recorded as an individual in the general ranking.

ART. 6 : PROGRAM OF THE RACE

06 April: Departure for Morocco*, arrival, transfer bivouac.
07 April: Technical, administrative and medical formalities.
08 to 13 April: Timed stages with food self-sufficiency.
14 April: Timed, “Solidarity” stage with food self-sufficiency
15 April: Free day
16 April: Return to France.*

*Competitors not using the Paris flight may have to arrive a day earlier and return a day later depending on flight connections.

ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION Internationale reserves the right to modify:

• the regulations of the 33rd MARATHON DES SABLES,
• the aspect of the course (see ART. 21),
• the place and destination in case of forces beyond our control: weather, cataclysm, armed conflict, invasion in any form, lock-out…

ART. 7 : TECHNICAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND MEDICAL VERIFICATIONS

These will take place on 07 April 2018.
Participants must present themselves to the race administrators and medical team responsible for carrying out these verifications. He or she must imperatively have fulfilled his or her technical, administrative and medical obligations (see ART. 24, 25, 27 & 28) before departure. At the control point, an exact list of each participant’s equipment must be established (i.e., compulsory items, personal belongings, food and caloric value, etc.). The race stewards are authorized at any time to check and supervise the participants’ backpacks. Individual items of the participant’s equipment as referred to in the above list is strictly personal. Any items missing from the list, whether thrown away, lost or stolen, shall be penalized. All competitors are responsible for their own equipment and they must therefore inform the organization of any missing item, failing which penalities could be levied (see ART. 27 and 28). Any found objects that remain unclaimed after 24 hours shall be disposed of, except for telephones, cameras and batteries. Each competitor is responsible for his/her own equipment.
During the race, none of the items in your backpack will be looked after by the organization.

ART. 8 : IDENTIFICATION MARKS RESERVED BY THE ORGANIZATION

During the administrative and technical registration, the organisation will provide each participant with:

• 2 breast plates bearing a number, approx. 18 cm x 16 cm
– one for upper part of the chest
– one for the back,to be attached to the backpack,
• a check-in card
• WAA ChronoTag (3)
• a distress beacon SPOT

These ID marks must be worn by the participants throughout the race and positioned according to the organization’s indications, failing which penalties will be issued. The race stewards may carry out checks at any time. It is formally forbidden to cover the organization’s race numbers with any other lettering. Each participant must ensure his/her ID marking is clear, entirely visible, in good condition and in the proper place, under pain of penalty (see ART. 27 and 28).The organization will provide competitors with spare tags in case of damage or loss. The distress beacon must be handed in at the end of the race. The loss of the distress beacon will incur a fine of 100 euro (see ART. 27 and 28).
Each participant agrees to adhere strictly to this rule, subject to serious penalty in the case of violation (see ART. 27 and 28).
SOURCE AND READ MORE IN : http://www.marathondessables.com/en