Intro:

Rachid El Morabity maintained his lead of the Marathon des Sables after the Moroccan came out on top at the end of stage three.

Script:

Away they go again, day three of the Marathon des Sables, known as the toughest footrace on Earth.

It's been too tough for the 37 retirees who didn't make the start line for this stage. Plenty are still going though, including 71-year-old adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

Former Saint Helens rugby league captain Paul Sculthorpe is also running.

Even elite sportsmen in other fields can't compete with the specialists at the front of this race,

There was hardly any wind either to take the edge off the scorching heat of the desert.

Nobody deals with that better than this man, Rachid El Morabity crossed the line first yet again to exend his overall lead.

And of the women, Elizabeth Barnes was still out in front by the end of this leg.

The next stage is twice as long at 82.2km. Expect a fair few not to make day five.