Manama, Bahrain: Bahraini yachtsman, Sami Kooheji will be making his Olympic debut thanks to his sailing expertise; tenacity and the support of sponsor Gulf Air. As one of Sami's official sponsors, Gulf Air will be flying the champion Bahraini yachtsman to the Olympics next month.
Gulf Air has been supporting Sami in his bid to take part in the Athens Olympics since April 2003. Following the recent renewal of the sponsorship agreement, Gulf Air will continue this role as he competes in key events around the world.
Sami will be travelling to Turkey for the Istanbul International Sailing Regatta from 26 to 31 July. The competition will host some of the top sailors from around the world, and provide the opportunity for training and preparation from Athens. Dedication on and off the water at this current stage is very important, to ensure Sami's progress through to the Olympic games.
"Gulf Air is very proud to be part of Sami's Olympic quest", said John Butler, Vice President, Marketing and Sales at Gulf Air. "His winning record this year demonstrates he is a world-class athlete and a national role model for Bahrain".
Sami is ranked first for sailing in Bahrain and the Gulf region. He also holds the honour as number one Arab sailor in the Middle East and Africa. Since last summer, he has competed in more than 20 races throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In April, he set a world record for solo circumnavigating Bahrain in the Gulf Air Sailing Challenge. He completed the challenge in 27 hours, one minute and 22 seconds. Sami now has his sights set on being the number one ranked Arab sailor at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
As one of Sami's main sponsors, Gulf Air provides the yachtsman with airline tickets to global competitions. The airline's network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers more than 45 cities in 32 countries. Sami's other sponsors cover the cost of equipment, clothing and international regatta expenses.
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About Gulf Air
Gulf Air was founded in 1950. Today, it is owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain, Oman and the UAE and is the only truly pan Gulf carrier in the region. The airline's network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers 49 cities in 32 countries. The fleet is one of the most modern in the Middle East and comprises 35 aircraft, today.
The airline is in the second year of a three-year strategic recovery programme, headed by President and Chief Executive, James Hogan. The airline, which is making rapid strides towards regaining profitability by 2005, aims to further evolve by taking its renowned cultural strengths, which have been gained over more than half a century, into a global environment.
Gulf Air was recognised with the prestigious Airline Turnaround of the Year Award by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) in 2003 and it was selected as a one of the leading and most recognised brands in the UAE by the Superbrands Council. The airline also received the top honour of a platinum award for being voted the Best Middle East and North Africa Airline at the 2004 Arabian Travel Market's inaugural MENA Awards. The airline also was named the winner of the Excellence in Quality Improvement category of the 2004 Skytrax Airline Excellence Awards, the world's largest survey of passenger attitudes towards airlines.
For more information:
Anne Tullis
Manager Corporate Communications
Tel: + 973 17 338 098
Fax: +973 17 338 207
E-mail: anne.tullis@gulfairco.com
© Press Release 2004
