Published on October 4, 2021

The 9th edition of the Moka Trail has taken place in unprecedented conditions in the heart of the island on Saturday 2 October 2021. Instead of discouraging trail runners, this new format has given them extra energy and motivation to do their best! Here’s a quick look at this major event of the sporting calendar in Mauritius.

This year again, a “light” version of the Moka Trail was designed to make sure trail running enthusiasts competed in the best possible sanitary conditions. Participation was limited to only 500 runners (a figure that was reached very quickly, just weeks after registration opened!) and only the event’s two main races were held: the 14km Petit Both and the 28km Grand Pouce in groups of 50 runners.

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An epic race

“Despite the sanitary conditions, which made hosting the event even more challenging, the Moka Trail 2021 lived up to all our expectations. The adrenaline levels remained unaffected with this new and original format. As usual, it was a great sporting event that brought together the island’s trail running enthusiasts in search of beautiful landscapes and thrills!” said the Race Director, Percy Driver, the day after the Moka Trail.

New features this year included the relocation of the Race Village from La Laura to Beau Bois. This spot was the starting point for the two races as well as the meeting point for the prize-giving ceremony. As usual, several volunteers helped ensure that everything ran smoothly. This just goes to show that you don’t need to be a great athlete to have a good time at a competitive event! The participants’ families also came to cheer and congratulate them.

The best performers

This year, the following participants distinguished themselves:

  • Men – 14 km

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    Geraldo Grimaud finished first in 01:16:46, followed by Ezeckiel Colin (01:20:29) and Badal Dusooa (01:20:30).

  • Women – 14 km

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    Malika Shana Devi Ramasawmy won the Petit Both in the women’s category with a time of 01:45:06. Yolaine Eymeric (01:51:25) and Léa Orazio (01:53:32) finished second and third respectively.

  • Men – 28 km

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    Once again, the Grand Pouce was packed with thrills and spills! This year, Simon Desvaux de Marigny won the race with a time of 02:50:10. “I started the race with the goal to have fun, as always, and turn in a good performance. I was very well prepared, which allowed me to outperform my competitors. The race went very well. I congratulate the organisers who did their utmost to make the event happen despite the difficult situation,” he says.

    The runner-up and third-place finisher were Jean Will Smith (03:03:17) and Jonathan Cotte (03:03:18).

  • Women – 28 km

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    The women’s race of the Grand Pouce also provided its share of emotions. Amandine De Monts claimed the top spot with a time of 04:09:16. “I didn’t expect it at all, because it has been a while since I took part in a trail run. So I’m really pleased to have won. The race took place in pleasant, sunny but not too hot conditions. The Moka Trail is a great event and the course this year was great,” she said after completing the race.

    Alexandra Henin and Sabrina Rabot took second and third place in 04:17:36 and 04:42:09 respectively.

A growing Mauritian passion

The excitement generated every year by the Moka Trail suggests that trail running is a growing passion in Mauritius! While this year’s format was more suited to experienced runners, an increasing number of Mauritians are taking up this sport. With the marking out of trails by Moka Smart City, everyone can now get into trail running at their own pace, push their limits and explore the beautiful landscapes in the heart of the island.

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moka trail, trail 2021
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The success of the Moka Trail is not about to wane! For the ninth consecutive year, the heart of the island was the place to be for trail running enthusiasts with this major race. After having tried different formats, invited young and old to participate and shown resilience in maintaining the competition despite the challenges brought by unprecedented sanitary conditions, the Moka Trail has confirmed its status as a major sporting event. This bodes well for many wonderful surprises next year for the tenth anniversary edition. Stay tuned to the Moka blog for more information!

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