Morocco Backyard Ultra in Maâmora to serve as world championship qualifier

The Maâmora Forest, between Rabat and Kenitra, will host the Morocco Backyard Ultra on September 19, 2025. This edition will bring together 50 endurance runners in a unique format where athletes must complete a 6.706 km loop every hour until only one remains.

Since its first official edition in 2021, Moroccan athletes have shown remarkable progress, with men improving from 20 to 37 loops and women from 12 to 30, organizers said in a press release.

This year’s race is particularly important as it serves as a qualifier for both the 2026 World Team Championship and the 2027 Individual World Championship. Under the rules, the 15 best Moroccan runners of the past two years, ranked by loops completed, will secure their place on the national team. The winner of the 2026 World Team Championship with Morocco will automatically qualify for the 2027 individual edition.

The national team has also raised its standards: while previous squads included athletes with a minimum of 15 loops, only runners capable of completing at least 24 loops will be eligible for the next championship. The final list of athletes will be confirmed after the September 19 race.