A lighter version of the Moka Trail was designed this year to enable everyone to participate despite current challenges and reconnect with authenticity, the primary value of trail running. However, this 8th edition has retained all its appeal! There was a great sense of togetherness, the desire to push one’s own limits and emotion. Throwback to this iconic event that took place in the heart of the island.
This beautiful day was blessed with a gorgeous sunshine and nearly 2,100 participants gathered at La Laura-Malenga to take part in the 8th edition of the Moka Trail on Saturday 3 October 2020. They set off early in the morning for the 5, 7, 14 or 28km races according to their sporting level. Some of them were in contention for a medal while others wanted to spend an unforgettable day and get the adrenaline pumping!
Percy Driver was involved in the organisation as Race Director. “Organising this race was a great experience! The organising committee was driven by great team spirit and the outcome fulfilled everyone’s expectations. The marquee set amidst the pumpkin fields created a beautiful effect and, looking at the faces, I can say that everyone had a great time! I look forward to the next edition of the Moka Trail,” he says.
This year again, the Moka Trail received assistance from its generous sponsors, mainly Moka Smart City and the ENL Group; some others have loyally supported us for years, including Rey & Lenferna, Odézile, Velogic as well as in-kind sponsors like Sunset Spa, C Care, Helios, Livity, Pure Bio, Energade, Andros, Alpen, Future Life & Bakalland.
The winners of the 8th edition
There were more than 2,000 participants, but only two winners for each race! This year, Jonathan Cotte and Simon Desvaux de Marigny finished first in a tie in the Moka Range Challenge (28km – 1,350m elevation) with a time of 02:55:33. Rosemary Le Gac grabbed the victory in the women’s race in 04:03:29. Freddy Roux and Luxmee Priyanka Pittea won the Petit Both (14km – 650m elevation) in 01:15:04 and 01:45:07 respectively. Melvish Jang (00:35:14) and Selma Patel (00:44:26) took the top spots in the men’s and women’s categories of Les Deux Mamelles. Congratulations also to Kenan Leclerc and Kellsie Leclerc, who won the Fun Jog in 00:20:51 and 00:25:56 respectively!
Both the men’s and women’s records have been smashed in the 14km and 28km races of the Moka Trail this year! The winners in both categories of the 28km race finished 4 minutes ahead of the record while the men’s record was broken by around 3 minutes and the women’s record by almost 13 minutes in the 14km race.
And you, what is your record time for the Moka Trail? Find out here.
A fun day for everyone!
Apart from the trail runners, about a hundred Moka’mwad volunteers contributed to the success of the event, helping with the signing-off and refreshments, among others. In addition to the vendors catering for the participants and public on site, there was a photo booth to allow everyone to leave with beautiful keepsakes offered by Moka Smart City and a face painting workshop to keep the kids busy.
“This edition’s lighter format kept all the fun of the Moka Trail alive!” says Ketty Lim Ka Lan, who is in charge of events held in Moka Smart City. “As usual, there was an amazing spirit during the whole day. The participants’ enthusiasm confirms the position of Moka as a sporting city, and we are proud to be able to provide fans with such an event.”
Year-round clearing and marking of more than 85km of trails
Here’s good news: the marked trails you discovered during the Moka Trail are now open all year round. The Smart City teams have put in some hard work to make them more easily accessible to the public free of charge 24/7.
This initiative was carried out in collaboration with three different District Councils and the Forestry Service. Several million rupees have been put into cleaning and marking a total of 6 trails: Les Deux Mamelles (7km), Le Petit Both (14km), La Classique du Pouce (3.8km), Le Dauguet (12km), Le Grand Pouce (20km) and Moka Range Challenge (29 km).
In addition, the Strava app contains different Segments that enable joggers and trail runners to track and compare their performance with their peers. Strava features the 6 marked trail paths as identified Segments. An annual ranking will be announced and the “champions” will be rewarded.
This is the ideal opportunity to embark on a unique exploration of the heart of the island and start trail running now to prepare for the next edition of the Moka Trail!
The joy of running and giving
Moka Trail T-shirts, singlets, shorts and leggings were sold online (on the Roag.org website and the Teamonite.mu T-shop) before the race, with the aim of donating the proceeds to an association. Rs 43,000 have been raised and given to the Young Spirit Association, a local NGO supporting vulnerable young people through education and various community initiatives in the Pailles region.