Mark Ferguson’s Maroc Challenge April 2025
Mark’s Maroc Challenge
From 11th – 19th April Mark Ferguson, Account Director at Cisilion and Mark Ogley, Managing Director of Volante Yachts are representing #TeamCisilion at the Maroc Challenge. They are participating in this adventurous race across the desert in order to raise money for our Charity partner of the year, Macmillan Cancer Support.
Macmillan gives people with cancer everything they’ve got. If you’re diagnosed, your worries are Macmillan’s worries. Macmillan’s doing whatever it takes. But without your help, Macmillan can’t support everyone who needs them.
Donate here now – Mark Ferguson is fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support
Track #TeamCisilion – (Team 490) Live Tracking Maroc Challenge SE 2025
Branding the Vehicle with #TeamCisilion (12th April)
Day One (13th April)
And we’re off!
We had a very early 4AM for final checks then a 160km drive to stage start. The first 100km of stage was blasted with perhaps an exuberance of confidence. Navigating is like sitting in a washing machine on full cycle whilst reading a book.
Enthusiasm was soon tempered by two events that put us in check. Firstly travelling at speed we met a large hole and launched the car 20 feet into the air. After landing back on earth the rear window decided enough was enough and departed the vehicle. Soon after at a small river crossing our progress was halted after bogging the car up to rear axle! Try as we might we could not extract ourselves and eventually had to call for rescue.
Initially doing well and possibly leading our category the delay awaiting rescue pushed us down to 29th (out of 33) in our category.
A challenging and very tiring day!
Day Two
Licking our wounds from yesterday we were keen to make up time.
After a 130km drive to the start point we were off only for the stage to be cancelled within the first 10K. Heavy rainfall the day and night before high in the Atlas Mountains had begun to make river crossing access to the desert dangerous and some impassable.
So it was off on a 160K drive to hotel to regroup and do some more mechanical repairs.
Day Three
Due to yesterday’s stage 2 cancellation the stages have been rearranged with stage 3 being replaced with stage 4. The stage took us deep into the Moroccan desert, along areas very close to the Algerian border. It was demanding stage, with a route that paid tribute to the legendary Paris-Dakar Rally’s African era.
Some amazing scenery that at times felt like being on Mars.
Adjusting our pace somewhat we managed to get through stage without incident or mechanical failure elevating finishing an improved 28th out of 33!
Repping the Cisilion Merch!
Day 4
