The impossible made possible
THE CONCEPT
Discover the new MDS concept: the MDS Handi. More than just a race, the MDS Handi is an inclusive adventure that proves difference is not a barrier to the extraordinary. This adventure invites you to push your limits in one of the most demanding and breathtaking places on Earth: the Sahara Desert.
Each MDS Handi team consists of 4 people, with 3 members taking turns as pushers, pullers, and runners. You will fully experience the MDS Morocco, following almost the same route as all participants, with detours on sections that are impassable by wheelchair.
For an adventure accessible to all, you will be provided with an ultra-trail racing wheelchair. The bivouac is adapted to meet your needs, ensuring optimal comfort after each stage. Equipped shuttles will facilitate transportation before and after the race, allowing everyone to fully enjoy this experience with peace of mind.
a solidarity-based
model
The MDS Handi allows you to have your participation funded through a solidarity-based model, involving your network and businesses willing to support your project. Here, you are not just setting off as a team of four, but with everyone who has contributed to making this adventure possible. Donors can benefit from a tax deduction of 60% to 66% (according to French regulations).
The second edition of the MDS Handi will take place from October 2 to 10, 2026, in Morocco.
WHY HAS THE 2025 EDITION BEEN POSTPONED TO 2026?
After the success of the first edition of the MDS Handi in October 2024, which brought together 10 committed and determined teams, the adventure doesn’t stop here — it’s gaining momentum! The next edition, scheduled for 2026, will welcome 50 teams to experience this unique adventure.
The year 2025 will serve as a transitional and preparatory phase. This extra time is essential to support the event’s growth. It will give teams the opportunity to get organized, strengthen their communication, and most importantly, focus on finding partners and sponsors to support their project.
THE FORMAT
Each stage will present its own challenges. The first stage is a learning and improvement stage using the provided equipment. The second stage will immerse you in challenges that test your endurance and individual resilience. The third stage is identical stage to the MDS Morocco, with no adaptations, for a truly shared challenge.
These distances are estimates and may vary from one edition to another. Special challenges may be introduced throughout the race*, where you will be tasked with covering specific distances over short segments.
*Distances depend on the specific course for each edition but remain within these estimates. Additional challenges or special tests might be integrated, such as covering 150 meters in a wheelchair without assistance from teammates. Details will be communicated before the event.
THE MDS HANDI BIVOUAC
Because your well-being and accessibility are our priority, the MDS Handi bivouac has been designed to meet your needs while fully integrating you into the MARATHON DES SABLES Morocco experience. You will be accommodated in teams of four in Berber tents, at the heart of the main bivouac, alongside the other participants.
To facilitate your movement, mats have been installed throughout the bivouac, ensuring better wheelchair accessibility. Unlike the MDS Morocco participants, you will have access to showers equipped with benches and adapted toilets. These AQ-TICA toilets feature gel cushions for added comfort.
A medical space will also be set up within the bivouac clinic, with a specialized rehabilitation medicine team dedicated to MDS Handi participants.
TYPICAL PROGRAM
The adventure is designed to be accessible to wheelchair users with a minimum level of mobility. They must be able to propel their wheelchair using their upper limbs, as the goal is to remain active during the stages.
We offer you the possibility of transfers between Marrakech airport, the hotel, and the bivouac in shuttles dedicated to MDS Handi participants. At the hotel, you will be accommodated in accessible rooms. At the bivouac, you will stay in a Berber tent with your team. You will have access to: AQ-TICA toilets with cushions and shower benches
MEDICAL QUESTIONNAIRE
You will need to complete a detailed medical questionnaire to determine whether you are eligible to participate. This will be reviewed by a specialized medical team.
THEY DID IT
TESTIMONIALS
Following in the Footsteps of the MARATHON DES SABLES
The MDS Handi is proof that disability does not define your limits. Follow in the footsteps of the MARATHON DES SABLES. Like all participants since 1986, set out to conquer the extraordinary landscapes of the Sahara. Cover approximately 70 km across three stages of sharing and discovery, immersed in breathtaking scenery and the vastness of the desert.
