Source: https://inscription2020.marathondessables.com/en/regulation-race-2020
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 01:45:52+00:00

Document:
The 35th MARATHON DES SABLES is organized by ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION Internationale and will take place from 03 to 13 April 2020 in southern Morocco. This 35th annual event will take place under the aegis of the MOROCCAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM and will bring together around 1 200 French and foreign participants.
The 35th 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.
The 35th 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.
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 35th 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.
• veteran W4 (aged 70 to 79).
Classification is based on year of birth.
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.
03 April : Departure for Morocco*, arrival, transfer bivouac.
04 April : Technical, administrative and medical formalities.
05 to 10 April : Timed stages with food self-sufficiency.
These will take place on 04 April 2020.
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.
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).
In addition to official ID markings, participants may use other available clothing space for individual sponsors e.g. T-shirts (apart from the chest area exclusively reserved for race number) shorts, socks, caps, backpacks, etc. However, the organization reserves the right to prohibit sponsorship considered to be oversized or in direct competition with the organization's partners or for any other reasons and which the organization does not have to justify.
• the "non-stop" stage, where the leaders of the general and women's classifications will start around 3 hours after the 1st start.
• the "marathon" stage, where the last on the list will be the first to leave.
Each competitor must attend a briefing session with the race Director before the stage starts.
Participants must imperatively start at the time indicated by the organization, subject to penalties (see ART. 28).
Stage to be covered in a maximum authorized time of 10 hours. The marathon stage must take a maximum of 12 hours.
CP closing times are indicated in the road book. Anyone who has not reached a checkpoint before the deadline will be disqualified (see ART. 27 & 28). The Charity Stage is obligatory and counts as part of MDS. Any competitor who does not participate or gives up this stage will be disqualified from MDS. Any penalties received shall be included in the general race ranking. A finisher medal is awarded at the end of this stage.
Approx. 80 km stage to be held partly during the night and within a maximum authorized time of 34 hours.
CP closing times are indicated in the road book. Anyone who has not reached a checkpoint before the deadline will be disqualified (see ART. 27 & 28). From CP4 onwards, competitors may set up bivouac where they like as long as they are on the route axis and clearly visible. Participants will be informed of the latest departure time from CP4.
Headlamp turned on from 7 p.m.
The water distribution point at the finish line of each day's stage is compulsory check-point.
Check-points are located throughout the course of each stage of the race. There are two to six check points depending on the length of the race and each competitor must go through them, if not penalties will be applied (see Art 27 and 28). This allows the race officials to record times and distribute water (see ART.16).
The closing times for each checkpoint will be indicated in the road book.
An official time-keeper will take down the daily order of arrival for each competitor.
Obligatory checkpoints:water distribution and card punching.
The bivouacs will be pitched each day on previously chosen sites transformed into camping grounds for the competitors; Numbered, 8-man tents attributed by country of residence. Failure to adhere to these numbers will incur a penalty (see Art. 27 and 28) Competitors may use their free time to prepare for the night and get medical care, if necessary.
General ranking is calculated by adding together times for each stage of the race. Any claims must be made in writing at the race and handed over to the ranking marshals (see Art. 27).
• 6 litres at arrival post.
• 6 liters at arrival post.
• 6 litres at the bivouac.
At the end of the stage, each competitor is given 6 liters of water.
Distribution times will be posted up on the bivouac the night before (see Art. 13, 27 and 28). Stamping of the water card is obligatory and the competitor's sole responsibility. Each participant must manage his/her daily water intake as and when water is distributed and cannot obtain further supplies at any other time.
Penalties will be given to competitors who abandon empty water containers along the route. Facilities for handing in empty containers will be available at check points (see ART. 27 and 28).
In no circumstances (and at the risk of having to pay the search costs involved) must any competitor leave the race without informing the organization and signing an official discharge provided by AOI. If a competitor abandons the race, he/she must notify the organiszation as soon as possible and give his/her identification marks to one of the course stewards.
A team which has more than 3 members and where one member drops out or is disqualified will result in the team receiving a one-hour penalty (see Articles 27 and 28).
If the competitor's physical condition is satisfactory, he or she shall be taken to Ouarzazate within 48 hours maximum, after signing an official disclaimer supplied by AOI. While awaiting transferral to Ouarzazate, the competitor shall automatically be taken care of and must hand over his or her food to the organization.
In Ouarzazate, the organization will give the competitor his or her personal bag and provide assistance to reserve a hotel if necessary. Accomodation and food shall be paid for by the competitor.
A doctor will be available for consultations and referral to hospital or a nurse for treatment.
The organisation reminds all participants that the 35th MARATHON DES SABLES is a race through the Sahara where climatic and ground conditions can be extreme. Any outside assistance is strictly prohibited. Replenishment during the race shall incur a minimum penalty of 3 hours and possibly exclusion. If a competitor goes far off the race route, necessitating a lengthy search, he or she will be excluded from the race and pay a € 200 fine (see ART. 27 and 28).
An insurance policy covering medical evacuation is arranged by the organization for all entrants.
• evacuation on medical grounds and corpse repatriation in the event of death: real costs for all competitors to return to Morocco, mainland France, European Union member countries and Switzerland. Competitors residing in countries not included in the above list will bear the full costs of returning to home countries from the place of repatriation. They are therefore strongly advised to take out personal insurance.
• payment of medical expenses in Morocco for non-residents only: 15,000 euro.
- - daytime 30° C, - night time 14° C.
The route (approx. 250 kms) covers a wide variety of terrain. In the event of sand storm lowering visibility to zero, competitors must stop in their tracks and wait for instructions by the organizers.
The participants in the 35th MARATHON DES SABLES must follow the route as marked by the organizers, failing which penalties may be applied according to the particular stage. For liaison stages, the course will be marked approximately every 500 metres. There are several natural landmarks that will serve as additional points of reference.
Special NON-STOP stage and MARATHON: light beacons from CP3 to the finish line.
A road book will be compiled from the survey reconnaissance missions. The exact course will remain secret and will only be revealed at the time of distributing the road books on 03 April. It will include various items of interest on the stages, support, etc. Competitors shall be penalized they you do not have their roadbook during the race. (see ART. 28).
All of the obligatory equipment and personal belongings for each competitor (food, survival equipment and Marathon kit, waist pouch...) should weigh between 6.5 kg and 15 kg. This minimum/maximum weight does not include your daily water supply. Each participant will have to fulfil the above obligations during the administrative and technical checks in Morocco (see ART. 27 and 28).
Each entrant must provide his/her own food from 05 to 11 April included.
He/she must select the type of food best suited to his/her personal needs, health, weather conditions, weight and backpack conditions. We remind you that airlines strictly forbid the carrying of gas (for cooking) on board either as hand luggage or otherwise. Each competitor must have 14 000 k/calories, that is to say a minimum of 2,000 k/calories per day, otherwise he/she will be penalised (see ART. 27 and 28). Any food out of its original packaging must be equipped, legibly, of the nutrition label shown on the product concerned. Any food out its original packaging must be equipped, legibly, of the nutrition lable shown on the product concerned.
A luminous stick will be issued at CP3 of the non-stop stage. The distress beacon must be given back to the organization at the finish line.
The total cost of the entry fee does not include flights transfers.
Given that the total number of participants is limited, the organization will only accept applications when paper work is in good order and depending on places available.
• The balance must be paid by 15 January 2020.
If the number of places for the 2020 edition is reached, the organization will establish a waiting list.
2. If no places become free on the 2020 edition, the application will transfered with a priority to MDS 2021 following the conditions of the 2021 edition. Competitors who do not wish to take part in MDS 2021 may cancel their application within a maximum of 3 months after they appear on the waiting list. In this case, AOI will retain 10% of the application fee (dates and tariff published in December 2019).
- Validate and make the first instalment: payment by credit card or payment by bank transfer within 8 days.
All late payments shall be subject to a surcharge of €150.
All payments should be made to ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION Internationale. For bank transfers, any bank charges shall be at the payer's expense.
The organization reserves the right to refuse a competitor's application without giving any reason.
In case of cancellation, competitors partially or fully registered on the current edition may not be replaced by another individual. Applications are name-specific.
• photocopy of current valid passport, in .jpeg or .png format. It must be valid for at least 3 months from the date of entry into Morocco.
The organization's medical certificate (downloadable), the resting electrocardiogram (ECG) report plus graph, dated less than 30 days before the start of the race, i.e. after 03 March 2020, are to be presented during the administrative, technical and medical checks on 04 April 2020. Only the original documents, dated and signed, will be accepted (photocopies not valid). Failure to present these documents will incur penalties (see ART.27 et 28).
The organisation has decided to set up preventive and research actions concerning health policy during the MARATHON DES SABLES. These actions have neither the vocation nor the competence to be substitutes for national and international regulations concerning anti-doping, but aim to strengthen the medical supervision that the organisation wishes for. They are managed jointly by the ITRA (International Trail Running Association) and the association Athletes For Transparency (AFT). These actions are led by a Medical Commission consisting of doctors who can take advice from the experts of their choice and are, in particular, asked to give consultative advice to the race jury on the medical state of participants.
- all requests for or use of medicines subject to a Therapeutic Usage Exemption (TUE).
-The declaration of this information to the medical commission must be made through each runner's ITRA health page which each runner can create free of charge on the ITRA website: www.itra.run (To open an account is free of charge and is necessary in order to access the health page).
- The medical information declared on the pages is accessible only to the Medical Commission and the organisation's own medical team.
2.	Accept to submit any urine, and/or blood, and/or capillary, and/or saliva samples and the associated analyses requested by the Organisation's Medical Commission, on the understanding that the costs for the sampling and analyses are covered, directly, by the Organisation.
3.	To accept to answer any request that the Medical commission may make based on information that they have collected, in order to discuss their ability or not to participate in the race for which they are registered. As a result of the meeting, the Medical Counsel may suggest that the race Jury exclude the runner from the race.
4.	Accept the use of data concerning the results of research, while knowing that the data used will be strictly anonymous. According to the data protection act, the runner will have a right of access, rectification and opposition to the data concerning them. The Organisation's Medical Commission will be the entity through whom the runner can exercise this right.
• Deposit of 500 euro will be retained for processing fee in the event of cancellation until 30/04/19.
• 25% of the full enrolment fee will be retained by the organisation in the event of cancellation between 01/05/19 and 30/09/19.
• 40% of the full enrolment fee will be retained by the organisation in the event of cancellation between 01/10/19 and 30/11/19.
• 60% of the full enrolment fee will be retained by the organisation in the event of cancellation between 01/12/19 and 15/01/20.
Beyond 15/01/20 midnight no request for reimbursement will be honoured.
Important: AOI strongly recommends that each competitor take out personal cancellation insurance. It is possible to subscribe a cancellation insurance with our partner ASSURINCO (online sign up, just click here). From the registration confirmation for the MDS 2020 (sent by email once the 1st payment has been validated), the subscription period for insurance is 2 days. This choice remains at the competitor discretion.
If a participant is more than 30 minutes late for these checks on 04 April he/she will be penalised by the length of time of his/her lateness.
If a participant does not submit proof of having all his/her mandatory equipment, he/she will be disqualified.
At the medical check-ups in Morocco on 04 April 2020, competitors must present the organization's medical certificate and his or her resting electrocardiogram with tracing. These 2 documents must be signed and dated at least 30 days before the start of the race, i.e. after 03 March 2020. Competitors who do not fulfil this obligation shall not be able to start the race. However, such competitors shall be able to participate after an examination by the organization's doctors and subject to their approval. Each of these documents can be produced in the bivouac for a fixed fine of 200 euro to be paid in cash on the spot. A penalty of one hour per missing document shall be applied (see ART. 28).
Competitors abandoning one or several elements of his or her personal equipment should inform a bivouac official.
Competitors who cannot justify at any check point the absence of any personal item will be severely penalized (see ART. 28).
14 000 compulsory k/calories. When spot-checks are made, any competitor unable to present and justify the minimum 2000 k/calories per day during the race will receive a 2 hours penalty (see ART. 28).
The loss of the transponder will incur a fine of 100 euro (see ART. 28).
At each stage the finish line, and on the route, time-checking is obligatory at the check posts and is the responsibility of the competitor.
The first infraction will result in a one hour penalty, the second infraction a two hour penalty and the third time elimination from the race (see ART. 28).
• 30 minutes for lack of luminous signal sticks after 7 pm.
• 30 minutes for number bibs not visible.
Any form of outside assistance is strictly forbidden.
Fraudulent outside assistance supplying food or drink to a competitor shall incur a penalty ranging from three hours to expulsion from the race. Any long searches brought about by excessive deviation from the route will lead to exclusion from the race and a € 200 fine (see ART. 28).
The use of transportation, either with 2 or 4 wheels will result in elimination from the race. The receiving of extra water in particular instances (due to lack, loss or leaking bottle), and with the agreement of the race stewards or on the advice of the medical team, will result in a 30 minutes penalty the first time, one hour the second time and disqualification from the race on the third occasion.
Vital medical assistance (i.e. rehydration, plaster cast etc.) will result in a two hours penalty the first time, and elimination from the race on the second occasion.
Tents are numbered and attributed by nationality.
Competitors must, without fail, stay in the tents reserved for them. Failure to adhere to the numbers attributed will incur a penalty (see ART. 28).
• During the race, it should be handed over to the head of the competitors' bivouac. Replies issued within 48 hours.
Trophy, credit of € 500 for the next enrolment.
Daily race challenge: male and female categories: a credit of 400 euro per stage for the next enrolment in MARATHON DES SABLES. These reductions can be accumulated to a maximum of one complete entry fee.

References: ART. 24
 ART. 27
 ART. 27
 ART. 27
 ART. 28
 ART. 27
 ART. 27
 Art 27
 ART.16
 Art. 27
 Art. 27
 Art. 13
 ART. 27
 ART. 27
 ART. 28
 ART. 27
 ART. 27
 ART.27
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28
 ART. 28