Marseille-Cassis 2025: Ilias Fifa and Daisy Jepkemei win as Jimmy Gressier enjoys a Sunday run

A stellar 46th edition under the Provence sun. On Sunday, October 26, the 20,000 participants in Marseille-Cassis set off at exactly 9 a.m., heading for the seafront, the Calanques and the Gineste. Ideal conditions greeted them: 16°C, blue skies and barely any wind. Over the 20-kilometre course, Spain’s Ilias Fifa won the men’s race in 1:01:09, while Kazakhstan’s Daisy Jepkemei took the women’s title in 1:06:50. France’s Mélody Julien once again made a major impression in second place. Her 1:07:17 was the fastest time ever run by a French woman on the course, confirming that she is currently one of France’s top distance runners.

A stacked field and an electric atmosphere

Every year, the event sells out in just a few hours. Marseille-Cassis is not simply a race; it is a landmark fixture for Marseillais and running fans alike. Set against the postcard scenery of the Calanques National Park, with spectators lining the Gineste and the vineyards of Cassis waiting at the finish, the atmosphere is unlike any other. The 46th edition was no exception. The elite field showed up in force, led by defending champion Félicien Muhitira of Rwanda and several ambitious outsiders, including Ilias Fifa and Mohamed El Tahlaoui.

The French contingent featured Igor Bougnot, Martin Perrin, Maxime Bargetto and Faustin Guigon, all intent on making the most of their chance. And then there was the much-anticipated appearance of world champion Jimmy Gressier, jogging alongside his sister-in-law Emma and his partner Aude Clavier, the 2025 French Elite 5,000m champion.

Ilias Fifa pulls off a comeback from nowhere

The men’s race delivered a finish worthy of a movie. On the Gineste climb, at the 5-kilometre mark, the lead group quickly thinned out. El Tahlaoui and Fifa set the pace, with Mevsha and Muhitira a few metres back, lying in wait. By the summit, after 33 minutes of racing, the battle was intensifying. The climb had taken its toll, and El Tahlaoui, Fifa and Mevsha used the descent to open a gap. As they approached Cassis, the leaders dug deep again in an effort to break clear. El Tahlaoui was the first to get away. After several minutes alone among the Cassis vineyards, he looked to be cruising towards victory. But with one kilometre to go, Spain’s Ilias Fifa came from nowhere. He rocketed through the streets of Cassis, closing rapidly on his rival. The crowd held its breath. Shoulder to shoulder in the final sprint, it was ultimately the Spaniard who snatched victory in 1:01:09 after a spectacular comeback, just ahead of Morocco’s Mohamed El Tahlaoui (1:01:14).

His finishing speed made all the difference in that remarkable finale. Fifa, who ran a Spanish record of 27:41 for 10K in Valencia earlier this year, confirmed that he is in the form of his life. “I’m very happy, it was beautiful. I gave it everything, especially on the Gineste climb, where it was tough, but I really came here to win. The crowd and the organisation were incredible! All that energy... That’s what gave me the strength to win too.” Ukraine’s Mykola Mevsha completed the podium in 1:01:37. The first Frenchman, Igor Bougnot, took an excellent eighth place in 1:02:12 and was hailed by the Cassis crowd like a local hero.

Men’s podium:
1. Ilias Fifa (Spain) – 1:01:09
2. Mohamed El Tahlaoui (Morocco) – 1:01:14
3. Mykola Mevsha (Ukraine) – 1:01:37
First Frenchman: Igor Bougnot – 1:02:12

Relive the 46th edition of Marseille-Cassis 2025: Ilias Fifa’s dramatic victory, Daisy Jepkemei’s dominance and Mélody Julien’s record performance, the fastest French woman ever on the iconic Gineste climb.

Daisy Jepkemei dominates as Mélody Julien shines

In the women’s race, Daisy Jepkemei left no room for suspense. She went hard from the opening kilometres, took the lead on the Gineste climb and was never challenged again. She won in 1:06:50, an impressive time on such a demanding course. Behind her, France’s Mélody Julien produced a superb run. After combining the Chicago Marathon (2:27:08) with a 31:55 10K in Narbonne the previous week, the international marathoner delivered a brilliant second-place finish in 1:07:17, the fastest time ever run by a French woman on the course. The Tarn native erased the previous mark of 1:09:00, set by Mekdes Woldu in 2022, and confirmed her outstanding current form. “I really enjoyed the descent! I’ve raced quite a lot recently. I ran the Chicago Marathon and broke my 10K personal best last week, so I came here to enjoy myself, and I did. I had nothing left in the final stretch, but a podium finish is fantastic! The field was incredibly strong and I’m happy to be the first Frenchwoman. It’s great, it shows the form is there.”

Always consistent and wholehearted in her effort, Manon Trapp completed the podium in 1:10:00, once again racing with flair and energy. “It’s an extraordinary race. It was incredible, I loved it. I adore that feeling of freedom when you reach the summit of the pass. The scenery was magnificent, I really loved it! It was a demanding course, but full of emotion. I’m finishing a 160-kilometre week, so I knew I wouldn’t be very fresh. I came in with the shape I had on the day and just wanted to enjoy it for myself! People were applauding me as if I were leading, so of course I was smiling! I loved the race! ”. Last year’s winner, Clémence Calvin finished sixth in a strong 1:10:35, just behind Ophélie Serra Boxberger (1:10:27) and Manon Coste (1:10:32).

Women’s podium:
1. Daisy Jepkemei (Kazakhstan) – 1:06:50
2. Mélody Julien (France) – 1:07:17
3. Manon Trapp (France) – 1:10:00

Jimmy Gressier, a world champion out for a Sunday run

The other big attraction of the day was, of course, Jimmy Gressier. He was not there to chase a time, but to enjoy himself. The 10,000m world champion started in the middle of the pack alongside his extended family. He completed the race in 1:28:27, carried along by the enthusiasm of the thousands of runners and spectators around him. The northern Frenchman, as approachable as ever, savoured the experience. It was not quite a leisurely jog, with his hamstrings tightening up, but the smile never left his face.

As he told us at the finish, Marseille-Cassis is a race he will return to: “What a course! It’s a really tough race, so luckily I ran it as a training run. The climbs were fine, but my hamstrings were tightening up on the descents! I’d love to come back and experience the crowd’s passion while being competitive next time,” the Boulogne native said. “I took in all the encouragement from the people with great humility, and I thank them. It’s always flattering to have the recognition of an entire community. It means a lot to me. I run for myself, but also to share emotions and simple moments with everyone, because I’m just like everyone else, I only run a little faster!”

With a spectacular finish, a strong international field and an atmosphere true to the spirit of the South, the 46th edition of Marseille-Cassis delivered on every promise. Once again, the Gineste ruled the day, leaving runners short of breath and their quads on fire. Cassis provided its timeless postcard setting for a sun-drenched finish. Ilias Fifa produced a heroic comeback, Daisy Jepkemei dominated from start to finish and Mélody Julien delivered the fastest performance by a French woman in the history of the course. For anyone who still had doubts, the verdict is in: Marseille-Cassis is one of France’s finest classic races. And with a little luck, we may soon see Jimmy Gressier battling for the honours...

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