Nearly 500 athletes from more than 20 countries will be at the start of the 13th edition of the Atlas
Quest from October 4 to 6.
The wild and authentic Oukaïmeden plateau, situated at an altitude of 2620 m in the heart of the High Atlas, will once again be the focal point of the 4 races that have forged the soul and reputation of the event.
After the cancellation of the 2023 event due to the earthquake, all the indicators are green this year for the event to regain its grandeur and splendor.
Favourites line up for great duels
This 13th edition promises to be a thrilling affair on the pitch, with some great duels in store.
On the showpiece event, the Ultra Trail Atlas Toubkal, we’ll be joined by outgoing winner Guillaume
Beauxis, recently 35th in the UTMB, 5th in the TDS 2022 and a lover of this wild, technical terrain.
He will be up against Lambert Santelli, record holder of the GR 20 in 30h25′, winner of the Restonica trail by UTMB 2024 and4th of the Grand Raid de la Réunion and winner of the MIUT in 2023. He’s sure to find a terrain where he can express his climbing and descending skills in rocky environments.
Haut Savoyard Stefen Roux will also be a podium contender, 5th in the 100km Restonica Trail 2023 and 2nd in the 76km Montreux Trail Festival 2024.
Morocco’s Jamal Ait Ifraden, winner of the High Atlas Ultra Trail 2023 and 2024 over 120km, will be a first-rate outsider, and could also feature on the podium.
In the women’s category, the favorite is XXL ultra-trailer Claire Bannwarth, aka the Duracell Bunny, who has been doing it again and again, having just finished 3rd in the Tor des Géants after taking 18th place in the UTMB.
In the Challenge de l’Atlas (Marathon + Virée d’Ikkis), 2 athletes will be discovering this territory and are among the favourites: Corsican Noël Giordano , very much at ease on technical 40 km formats,
3rd in the THP and winner of the Trail Gravona 2024 and Matis Leray, 32nd in the UTMB, 2nd in the Frison Roche and 7th in the Eiger over 50 km this season.
In the women’s race, Drôme’s Amandine Ferrato, runner-up in the 2017 World Championship and a regular scratch podium finisher in local races, will be the favorite, along with Moroccan Aziza Raji, three-time winner of the High Atlas Ultra trail and 2nd in the Marathon des Sables 2024 after winning it in 2021, as well as Astrid Renet and Julia Redoutey.
We can also count on the Moroccan athletes, who will be showcasing their running skills and their ability to adapt to the heat and altitude. They’ll be out in force, and every year they come to take on the European runners.