Countdown to Gulf Air Gulf Scrabble Tournament Begins

Manama, Bahrain 28 May 2007: The countdown to the Gulf Air 17^th Gulf Scrabble Tournament (GST) has begun as regional players armed with a mind blowing vocabulary gear up to face one another for the brainy challenge this season in Bahrain.

The Gulf Air Gulf Scrabble tournament has attracted the region's 40 top exponents in the mind game, with players battling it out on the board game to be played June 7-9 at the Ramee International Hotel in Bahrain.

With more than 250,000 words, inflected forms and plurals permitted, found in an authorised word list of American and British entries, Scrabble has thousands of options likely to give apoplexy to an English teacher.

Moreover, as a one-off tribute to Gulf Air, the official carrier of the tournament, Bahrain Scrabble League, organisers of the GST, decided to permit "Gulf Air" as a bonus word, earning 50 extra points and a memento from the air carrier.

Eleven of the 40 entrants have competed in a World Scrabble Championship and nine out of the Gulf's top 10 taking part in the tournament.

"We're deeply indebted to Gulf Air for its strong support and commitment to our mind game," says Bahrain Scrabble League Chairman Roy Keitzman.

"Gulf Air's sponsorship is a massive boost for the game regionally and we see that this will serve as catalyst for future world champions emerging from the region."

The sponsorship agreement was signed in February between Bahrain Scrabble League (BSL) and Gulf Air. Besides offering air travel support at half-price fares for participants at the major regional competitions in June, also extends other services and facilities to support the league's programmes planned for the season.

"As a leading regional carrier, we are glad to back this tournament and other associated activities as this international game has been played through out the Arabian Gulf region for decades," says Gulf Air Executive Vice President Marketing and Sales Lee Shave.

The game, played in 15 clubs throughout the Gulf, has been in the region for over 40 years as a competitive mind sport. The GST is the qualifying contest for the ninth World Scrabble Championship (WSC) to take place in Mumbai, India.

Bahrain is considered the hub of Scrabble-playing in the Gulf, hosting the GST each year since 1991. The country has been represented in all WSCs and has been widely covered by the media regularly.

In November 2005, the World English-language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) asked if Bahrain could be its domicile while requests have also been made to host international competitions in the Kingdom. Kietzman is on the 11-member management committee of WESPA.

-Ends-

About Gulf Air
Founded in 1950, Gulf Air, owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman, is the only truly Pan Gulf carrier in the Middle East region.

The regional, geographic and cultural values that the airline has embraced over more than half a century are still central to defining its brand and service ethos.

Today the airline's network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers 47 cities in 30 countries. The fleet comprises 34 aircraft and has the distinct advantage of possessing the strongest network across the Middle East.

A platform for sustained commercial operation has been established over the past three years as part of a multi-phased turnaround programme. It has also provided a framework for a succession of innovative products and services including the unique Sky Chefs and Sky Nannies that form part of Gulf Air's 'smart airline, successful business' vision.

International recognition has been achieved as a result of the turnaround programme leading to numerous awards for the airline's innovative and high quality products and services: These include:

Best Onboard Catering in First Class 2006 (Sky Trax Awards)

Best Onboard Catering in Business Class 2006 (Sky Trax Awards)

Best Business Airline 2006 (British Travel Awards)

Best Onboard Service 2006 (Gold) (Mercury Awards)

Best Onboard Catering in First Class 2005 (Sky Trax Awards)

Best Onboard Catering in Business Class 2005(Sky Trax Awards)

Best designed in-flight magazine 2005 (American Creativity Awards)

Middle East Leading First Class Airline 2005 (World Travel Awards)

World's Leading Airport Lounge 2005 (World Travel Awards)

Middle East region's best airport restaurant for its restaurant in Bahrain International Airport lounge 2005 (PAX International Readership Awards)

Middle East & North African Platinum Best Airline 2004 (MENA Travel Awards)

Most Improved Airline 2004 (Skytrax Awards)