More than 1,500 take part in TrainYAS ‘Together We Ride’ at Yas Marina
Yas Marina Circuit hosted a special edition of its TrainYAS community fitness programme on 3 June, the day commemorating World Bicycle Day, with organisers reporting attendance of over 1,500 participants. The evening event, billed as Together We Ride, brought families and recreational cyclists to the Abu Dhabi venue in an initiative co-delivered with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and sponsored by Novartis.
Event highlights and format
The one-off TrainYAS session converted parts of the circuit into a community cycling hub, combining group rides with a festive atmosphere intended to encourage physical activity and social connection. Organisers positioned the event as an inclusive opportunity for residents to engage in low-cost, low-barrier exercise in a safe environment, making use of one of the UAE’s most recognisable sporting venues.
Attendance and partners: According to event organisers, more than 1,500 people attended. The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre partnered on delivery, and global healthcare company Novartis provided sponsorship and support focused on cardiovascular health messaging. Yas Marina Circuit continues to present TrainYAS as part of its year-round community engagement programme.
TrainYAS in context: community programming and prevention
TrainYAS is already established as a recurring community fitness offering at the circuit, blending grassroots participation with the operational capacity of a large multipurpose venue. For public health authorities and private sponsors, programmes like this serve two aims: they create public-facing opportunities for exercise and they provide a platform to communicate prevention-focused health messages to broad audiences.
Organisers framed the event as reinforcing the role of preventive action in addressing chronic disease burdens. Representatives from partner organisations emphasised movement, awareness and community engagement as central to broader strategies for improving heart health and wellbeing, noting that such initiatives complement clinical care by encouraging healthier behaviours before medical intervention becomes necessary.
Why the partnership model matters
Public-private partnerships underpin the TrainYAS model, pairing the reach and logistical capabilities of a venue operator with the public health expertise of government bodies and the funding capacity of private firms. For the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, these activations align with mandates to promote preventive health; for sponsors, they offer visibility while supporting corporate health objectives.
Using a high-profile location such as Yas Marina Circuit also has placemaking benefits. The circuit has been diversifying beyond motorsport to host community fitness, corporate events and entertainment, positioning itself as a multipurpose destination. That diversification supports broader urban wellbeing goals by repurposing existing infrastructure for everyday community use.
Implications for local wellbeing and future activity
Large-scale community fitness events can boost short-term participation in physical activity and raise public awareness of health topics. Whether they translate into sustained behaviour change depends on follow-up programming, accessibility of regular sessions, and integration with wider public health campaigns. TrainYAS organisers encourage residents to follow Yas Marina Circuit channels for future sessions, suggesting a continuing calendar of community activations.
Sustainability and venue role: Yas Marina Circuit has been promoting itself as a sustainable and versatile facility, hosting everything from elite motorsport to grassroots fitness. The circuit’s ability to operate as a public recreational space contributes to its value proposition for both residents and event organisers, while supporting broader objectives around active urban lifestyles.
Looking ahead
The Together We Ride edition underscores how public health organisations, venue operators and private sponsors can collaborate to create visible, community-oriented health initiatives. For Abu Dhabi, such events form part of a wider emphasis on preventive health and community programming. For participants, the event offered an accessible way to mark World Bicycle Day and engage with local peers around cycling and wellbeing.
Organisers have signalled that TrainYAS will continue as a recurring programme. Observers and participants will be watching to see whether these intermittent activations translate into more regular participation and sustained public health impact across the emirate.