Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 1 November 2013: Yas Marina has experienced a sellout weekend with record numbers of guests and yachts for the 5th annual Abu Dhabi Race Weekend. Over 200 yachts from all over the world have descended on Yas Marina for what is expected to be its busiest race weekend to date. Approximately 5,000 members of the public are also expected per day between 1-3 November at Yas Marina to enjoy the seven new look restaurants and lounges now open thanks to a large scale redevelopment that was unveiled earlier this month. Yas Marina’s seven new restaurants and promenade are all open to the public throughout the weekend and are a great place to soak up the atmosphere and buzz of the weekend, with a huge attendance on the inaugural race weekend yesterday where families, motor racing fans, revelers and yachting enthusiasts all gathered.
Cedric Le Rest, General Manager of Yas Marina, said: “This year’s Race Week is our biggest and busiest week of the year, and this year we have attracted record numbers of both guests and yachts since the event’s inception in 2009. This week, we saw 203 yachts from all over the world sail into the Yas Marina in preparation for the weekend. The atmosphere here is electric with yachts arriving from across the region and internationally.”
As part its redevelopment, the Marina this year added 12 new berths for a total of 192 available berths year-round. The redevelopment also saw the addition of seven new, licensed food and beverage outlets including sunset lounge with live music Iris, Spanish tapas bar and restaurant Diablito Food & Music, French-German bakery Café d’Alsace, Lebanese restaurant Rozanah and Seafood restaurant Aquarium. The new outlets join existing outlets Stars ‘N Bars, an American style sports bar, which has also gone through a makeover and a revamped Cipriani, the Marina’s Italian fine dining restaurant.
The marina’s restaurants and lounges have experienced a huge interest over the weekend and newly reopened Cipriani last night welcomed a high number of guests with restaurant manager, Marco Boito, confirming that it had exceeded all expectations and it was one of his busiest Race Weekends to date.
Yas Marina kick started the 2013 Race Week celebration with a full range of activities that include: Amber Lounge, a Mobile Nail Bar and Nightly Laser Show. The place for post-race celebrations offering a blend of Middle Eastern culture with exclusive live performances and international DJ sets is Amber Lounge, located on level 2 of the Cipriani building. A portable Nail Bar makes it easy for the ladies to pop by for a quick touch up, manicure, pedicure and mini-massage whilst enjoying the Race Week spirit. Also, back for a second year running, bigger and better than last year, Yas Marina is hosting a nightly laser show to lit up the skies above Yas Island which delighted fans last night at the inaugural launch.
Along with the new dining and entertainment options, the new development caters to a variety of other visitor interests which the general public has been enjoying whilst soaking up the Race Week atmosphere. Families and friends have been strolling along the new promenade admiring some of the world’s biggest and best super yachts as well an interactive musical fountain and a children’s playground.
During Race Week the marina is open to the public, information kiosks throughout the marina are open to address all queries related to the events and activities on Yas Island and Yas Marina. All visitors are strongly encouraged to use taxis as their mode of transport as taxis are all granted access to Yas Marina for drop off and pick-up. Otherwise, shuttle buses and a paid valet car park are available.