Information Disclaimer
We will make every effort ensure that the information contained on our website and in any promotional material is accurate and up to date. Any urgent/critical information will be sent to you, using the contact details you provide, so it is essential that we are advised of any changes. However, errors can regrettably occur. We reserve the right to make amendments and/or give notice of any significant changes at the earliest possible opportunity.
Please note that in order for your place to be accepted on the Marathon des Sables, you must read and agree to the following terms and conditions.
RunUltra Ltd act as agents on behalf of ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE (AOI) in respect of the event, the Marathon Des Sables. We take no responsibility for the event itself, its organisation or operation. AOI act as a principal in this matter and your contract is with them.
REGISTRATION PROCEDURE AND PAYMENT DETAILS
The Marathon des Sables (MdS) is run annually in March/April and is a multistage race of variable length – usually 230-260 km. The race organisers reserve the right to alter the length and format of the race at their discretion and at any time.
We are limited to the number of places available to persons residing in the following countries:
UK
Ireland
Team Entry
Competitors have the choice of entering as either individuals or as teams, a team being three or more members. Team members pay an additional registration fee (usually £50 per entrant) and in return a team ranking is recorded during the race so long as the team continues to have a minimum of three members.
Booking procedure – we will advise you in advance of registrations opening. All registrations will be via an online form, and the £500 deposit will be required in order to confirm your entry. Registrations will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.
Entry costs – Payment terms
We are not in a position to accurately predict entry costs beyond one year in advance as these are subject to organiser fees, travel and accommodation costs and arrangements, exchange rates and taxes. We will endeavour to confirm final costings within 8 months prior to the race date.
However, we do undertake to release you from your commitment to your payment and place (if that is your wish) and have a complete refund of all monies paid, if the costs of the event increase cumulatively, more than 10% per year between your year of registration and year of competition.
Payments for the event are typically split into an initial registration fee of £500, plus two further payments in the 8 months leading up to the event – normally in the September and December of the year prior to the event, although these dates will be confirmed to you after registration. For 2020, entry costs were £4475 for individual entrants and £4525 for team entrants, so we would expect 2021 costs not to exceed £4500/£4550 for team entrants.
If you wish, payment can be split into monthly amounts, to be paid by standing order – please contact us for more details, once you have secured your entry.
What is included in the fee
- Return travel UK – Morocco (closest commercial airport to point of departure)
- Transfers (arrival point / race start / hotel / departure point)
- Most meals before and after the event
- Hotel accommodation after the event
- Race entry fee
- During the race: water (rationed), medical team, ground assistance, minimal insurance, basic email facilities
- Individual rankings, team rankings for registered teams
- Medal & t-shirt for those that complete the course + finishers certificate and downloadable film of the event
What is not included
- Food during the race
- Event insurance (We require all competitors to take out insurance covering cancellation)
- Any equipment (except minimal survival kit)
- Cooking fuel, if required. (Typically purchased from the organisers 2-4 months before the race, as fuel MAY NOT be taken on the plane).
- Comprehensive insurance (e.g. to cover cancellation, loss of items – we will require proof of cover with your 2nd instalment payment)
- Training costs
- Doctor’s fees (e.g. for E.C.G and blood tests, COVID testing)
- Cash for extra MdS souvenirs or drinks and last-minute purchases at the hotel
- RunUltra Ltd reserves the right to make fuel/airport tax surcharges, if necessary.
Entry Requirements
- Acceptance of these terms and conditions of booking
- Acceptance of the rules that apply to the race
- Compliance with any government travel requirements from the UK and entry requirements into Morocco
- Deadlines for payments and all payment instalments must be met as itemised
- Deadlines for completion of registration forms must be kept (An online form to be completed after registration, followed by a copy of your passport and a passport-style photo, via email)
- Your contact details must be kept up-to-date
- A sealed letter addressed to the Medical Director for anyone undergoing long term treatment for a chronic disease.
- An ECG and medical certificate signed by a doctor to be presented on the day prior to the race start.
Waitlist
We operate a waitlist to fill additional places that may be made available to us by the organisers A.O.I or by cancellations and dropouts. We maintain one list for every entry year, the size of which varies for each year based upon our experience of cancellation numbers between registration and the event itself. Waitlist numbers are currently less than 50 entrants, however the size of this may vary according to the size of the main list. To be included on the waiting list you are required to make a deposit payment of £500. This deposit will be refunded (less an administrative fee of £50 to cover our costs) if you ask to be removed from the waiting list. If we are able to offer you a confirmed place which you accept, this deposit becomes part of the first payment and is no longer refundable. Any other payments due at the time you accept the confirmed place are also to be made immediately. Over the past few years all waiting list places have been converted to confirmed entries in good time.
Since the waiting list depends on cancellations, the time at which we can offer you a confirmed place (if at all) is not possible to predict with any accuracy. We are not able to fill any cancelled places after the beginning of October preceding the race, so at this point anyone remaining on the waiting list will have their deposits refunded
CODE OF CONDUCT
Any behaviour which affects the safety or enjoyment of fellow competitors will not be tolerated – this applies to the Facebook discussion group, flights and transfers, the race, and at the hotel after the event.
PASSPORT/VISA
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a valid passport (valid for minimum 3 months after departure date) and any visas or vaccination certificates that may be required for entry into Morocco.
DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL REQUESTS
Where possible we will do all we can to accommodate disabilities and assist with special requests, but you will understand that due to nature of this event, it won’t always be possible. If you have a disability, race entry will be at the discretion of the Medical Director.
CANCELLATION
It is a condition of entry that you arrange for insurance to cover your entry fee in the event of you not being able to enter the race
Cancellation by Customer
You can cancel your place at any time by letting us know, in writing, to our registered address by recorded delivery (in addition to email confirmation). Cancellation fees will apply as follows:
For confirmed places:
Prior to 1st September, if you have paid a deposit of £500 – and wish to change your mind and cancel within 7 days of registration, we will refund your deposit less a £75 administration fee, after 7 days of registration, the deposit payment is non-refundable under any circumstances.
After 01 September (or 2nd instalment due date, if earlier) prior to the race, all payments received will be forfeited (deposit and 2nd Instalment).
After 15 December (or final instalment due date, if earlier) prior to the race: all payments made will be forfeited.
Transfer of booking – all registrations are strictly non-transferable and non-refundable.
Pre-departure changes and race cancellation
Any changes to travel arrangements will be advised at the earliest possible time, using the contact details you have provided.
In the event of cancellation of the race by the organisers, AOI (the organisers) undertake to reimburse payments already received on your behalf for the race entry portion of the event. All other paid funds, including flight, transfers, accommodation and administration will not be refunded.
Important Note – Events Beyond Our Control
We are unable to offer compensation for cancellation or curtailment due to events beyond our control. These include but are not limited to: war, threat of war, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist activity and its consequences, industrial disputes, any failure to secure relevant flying rights, natural and nuclear disasters, fire, epidemics, health risks and pandemics, unavoidable and unforeseeable technical problems with transport for reasons beyond our control or that of our suppliers; closed or congested airports or ports, hurricanes and other actual or potential severe weather conditions, and any other similar events.
INSURANCE – PLEASE READ
It is a condition of entry that you take out insurance covering runner cancellation, in advance of the second payment instalment. You will be required at point of payment to provide the name of your insurer and your policy number.
It is important that you have insurance cover and that is adequate and suitable for your particular needs. In addition to cancellation charges, if you require medical/any other form of assistance whilst in Morocco, the cover provided by the event organisers is limited. If you are not covered, you may incur significant costs. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you to Morocco. Repatriation, personal cover, personal items and missed connections should all be covered.
ASSISTANCE IN MOROCCO
During the race, all requests for assistance must be directed to AOI staff. After the race, RunUltra staff will be available at the hotel.
COMPLAINTS
Any complaints about the race itself should be made formally to the event staff, initially via the Bivouac Team during the race. After that, you will have until 30 April to submit your complaint in writing to them. Other complaints should be made to the UK MdS team.
CONDITIONS OF CARRIAGE
All transportation by air is subject to the contractual terms and conditions of carriage of the company providing the transport, some of which may limit or exclude liability. Carriers’ terms and conditions are subject to International Conventions, namely the Warsaw, Athens, Geneva and Paris Conventions – copies of which are available on request. RunUltra Ltd does not enter into an agreement for carriage by air, but only undertakes to reserve on your behalf accommodation on board an aircraft operated by an airline selected by RunUltra Ltd.
OUR LIABILITY
As agents for the Marathon des Sables, RunUltra’s liability is restricted to the organisation and administration outside of the race itself.
RunUltra Ltd reserves the right to change these terms and conditions at any time without prior notice. In the event that any changes are made, the revised terms and conditions shall be posted on this website immediately and all registered competitors will be advised of the changes via the email address they have supplied.
ATOL Protection
Financial protection Your Financial Protection
When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.
We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).
If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.
All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays (the Marathon des Sables package) on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: