Muscat – As many as 500 participants from 40 countries will participate in the Oman Desert Marathon, that will kick-start from January 21 to 24.

This will be the eighth edition of the self-sufficient race, which will run over four stages covering 165km.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT) said, ‘Under the auspices of H E Azzan bin Qassim al Busaidi, undersecretary for tourism in MHT, the Oman Desert Marathon will kick off at Al Wasel village in the wilayat of Bidiyah in North Sharqiyah at 7am.’

With an average maximum temperature of 25°C during the day, and average minimum of 17.3°C at night, January offers participants of the marathon perfect conditions to enjoy the race to the fullest, MHT stated.

First held in 2013, the Oman Desert Marathon is staged through one of the most spectacular deserts in the world. The course has sand in every stage, helping participants discover a country rich in culture and landscape, while still being a tough challenge for those who want to enjoy a race through the desert.

The four stages of the 2023 edition will run a course of 47km, 55km, 42km and 21km, offering participants a spectacular route. ‘An epic stage of 55km followed by a marathon distance, and a more relaxed last day will be a good end to the party,’ stated the organisers.

The last edition, held in 2019, saw brothers Rachid and Mohammed el Morabity stepping on the podium, following which the race was stopped due to the pandemic.