Rasid Merabti, the Moroccan runner, secured the top position in the third stage of the Marathon des Sables, edging out his brother Mohamed Merabti by a narrow margin in a race characterized by a fast pace and complex tactical maneuvers.
The stage covered nearly 29 kilometers under relatively comfortable weather conditions compared to the typical desert race, encouraging competitors to increase their speed from the start. Soon, the race evolved into an open contest, with French runners Mickaël Gras and Ludovic Pommeret trying to establish an early strong rhythm, leading at the first checkpoints, while the Merabti brothers opted for a more cautious approach in managing their effort.
As the kilometers progressed, the dynamics of the race began to gradually shift. Pommeret fell back, leaving Gras alone at the front, before Rasid Merabti gradually regained his rhythm, leveraging his extensive experience with desert terrains. Meanwhile, Mohamed Merabti lost some crucial seconds, which impacted his final ranking.
In the final meters, the Moroccan runners asserted their dominance, with Rasid finishing the stage in first place with a time of 2:17:29, just ahead of his brother Mohamed, who came second with less than a minute difference, while Gras took third place.
The stage also witnessed strict equipment checks for the leading runners at one of the checkpoints, adding another layer of organization to the competition.
In the women’s category, French runner Marilène Nakach continued her strong performances, achieving a clear victory after a commanding lead throughout the race. Moroccan Aziza Al-Imrani made a notable comeback, finishing in second place, while Agathe Thiey-Mago secured third.
This stage serves as an initial indicator of the power dynamics before entering the fourth stage, which spans 100 kilometers and is considered the true test of the runners’ endurance, often reshaping the overall rankings in this unforgiving race.
