WHAT’S ON TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2014

Farewell to Indonesian ambassador

Ambassador of Myanmar to Kuwait Aye Khaing organized a farewell party at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in honor of the Indonesian ambassador to Kuwait, whose mission in Kuwait concluded. Ambassadors of Asean countries, diplomats and other dignitaries attended the event. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Six hopeful racing pros travel to silverstone after ME GT academy finals

issan and Sony PlayStation(r) have again held the GT Academy is a unique concept created by Darren Cox, GT Academy. Congratulations to the six winners and good Nissan PlayStation(r) GT Academy Middle East chal- Global Head Brand, Marketing and Sales NISMO, who set out luck at Silverstone.” Nlenge in Dubai, with six dynamic gamers to prove a gamer with outstanding driving skills in the virtual Cherfan says entries for this year’s challenge had increased now getting the chance to become real professional car rac- world could perform equally well in a car on the tarmac. The five-fold on last year’s inaugural event. Robert Fisher, general ers. The high-octane, high-pressure event in which 28 finalists idea has succeeded brilliantly. manager of Sony Computer Entertainment in Middle East, from around the Middle East competed has just been staged Cox says: “It’s great the winners from the Middle East have Africa, Turkey, and India has hailed the second GT Academy over two days at the Dubai World Trade Centre. been selected. We now look forward to putting them through event in the UAE as a “resounding success”. The six victors will be taken to Britain’s famous Silverstone their paces at Silverstone. Salman Al-Khater made the transi- “The GT Academy continues to illustrate how the virtual circuit and undergo a race drivers’ boot camp to determine tion from virtual to real-world driving effortlessly and won his and real world can combine in such a seamless and produc- the overall Middle East GT Academy winner who then gets the very first race. I’m sure this year’s eventual winner from the tive manner.” opportunity to be a professional track racer. Middle East will be equally talented.” The top gun Gran Turismo gamers who will be heading to The race camp at Silverstone in August will settle which of Silverstone are: Hadi Abdel Hadi (Lebanon), Bahaa Abdel Hadi the six champs from the Dubai showdown has the skills to (Lebanon), Mohamad Jamal Ghandour (Lebanon), Walid Al take on top-level racers for real on the track. Ghamdi (Saudi Arabia), Yasser Al Mansoor (Saudi Arabia) and Samir Cherfan, managing director, Nissan Middle East, says Ahmed Khaled (Saudi Arabia). The Nissan PlayStation(r) GT the challenge at the Trade Centre had “exceeded all expecta- Academy was launched in Europe in 2008 and the concept tions.” has proved highly successful around the world. It was intro- “We have seen two days of excitement as gamers went duced to the Middle East last year. hard at it in a bid to move to the next phase and hopefully The Middle East’s 2014 winner will follow in the tyre tracks become a professional racing driver after the tutoring at of Qatari Salman Al-Khater, last year’s champion, who won his Silverstone. It’s been great fun for all concerned and the event first race at the 2013 Britcar 1000km after making the transi- will pave the way for one of the contestants getting a spot tion from gaming. Anyone owning a PlayStation(r) and a copy behind the wheel with Nissan and becoming a racer for real of has been able to enter the contest online or on the tarmac. “Motor sport is becoming more popular by the by attending a Nissan PlayStation GT Academy live event day in the Middle East and Nissan is delighted to be making a throughout the Middle East. contribution in this unique way via the Nissan PlayStation(r)