Maryline Nakache, traileuse from team Cimalp at the Marathon des Sables

05 Apr. 2023

Maryline Nakache, traileuse de la team Cimalp au Marathon des Sables

Marathon des Sables 2023 - Maryline Nakache, among the favourites!

The 37th Marathon des Sables will be held from 21 April to 1 May in the heart of the Moroccan Sahara. The 2018 French long trail champion, Maryline Nakache, will be taking the start of this iconic race for the very first time. Among the favourites for this 2023 edition, the Cimalp team trail runner is thrilled to be living this extraordinary new experience! 250 km in 7 days — that's what awaits participants in the Marathon des Sables. This legendary race is built on solidarity and brotherhood, with runners raising funds for charitable organisations in their home countries.

An extraordinary human adventure

In a few figures, the MDS is:

25,000 participants since 1986
50 nationalities
162,000 litres of water
590 volunteers
515 Berber and Saharan tents

An event of exceptional scale that is, above all, a wonderful human adventure to be shared. And that is exactly what Maryline Nakache, Cimalp team trail runner and 2018 French long trail champion, came looking for.

Maryline Nakache, a passionate athlete

Marathon des Sables 2023 - Maryline Nakache

Photos ©By Sochhhh_UTAT

She had announced it to her main partner Cimalp as one of her 2023 goals: "I'm going for the Marathon des Sables". And when Maryline Nakache sets her mind on something, she sees it through! This engineer and doctor in materials science seeks above all pleasure, travel, discovery and self-surpassing through trail running. "I'm passionate about outdoor sport and adventure. I've been doing trail for a few years now, specialising more in long distances, even though I love varying the types of terrain and taking on new challenges — sometimes even on shorter distances." Personal challenges that reflect the full-time Van Life the athlete has recently adopted. An opportunity for Maryline to get closer to what she loves most: "freedom, wild nature and the mountains... What a joy it is to climb summits under my own steam!" Maryline Nakache, a passionate athlete

The MDS, a long-held dream

Maryline Nakache is eager to experience the adventure in the south Moroccan desert offered by the Marathon des Sables. This is her first time taking part in the MDS. She has already explored Morocco during the Ultra trail Atlas Toubkal, but the MDS presents a new environment for the experienced trail runner. Even though the race will likely hold some surprises and uncertainties for her, Maryline has great natural strengths: "When I'm not running, I go trekking, multi-day cycling tours or ski touring in winter." And her track record speaks volumes about the determination that drives her: