IBM partners win World Cup

Big Blue rewards best performing partners with World Cup 2010 tickets, and prepares for July Regatta

Winning line: Some of the lucky winners celebrate with IBM's Jacqui Davey

Nine IBM partners are the envy of their peers after winning tickets to attend the England vs USA match on 12 June in South Africa.

The winners took part in a competition which required partners to sell System x, storage and tape products between 2 November 2009 and 31 March 2010, with points allocated per unit sold.

The winners are: Avnet, Great Benefit, Interface, ITPS, Kelway, Lexicom, Northamber, OCF and SIRE.

Accompanying the partners will be Jacqui Davey, vice president of business partners at IBM and Ian Jeffs, distribution and volume business leader at IBM UK and Ireland.

Davey said: "IBM is committed to the channel and continues to invest to create opportunites for mutual growth and success. We have gained market share in system x and exceeded our sales targets during the period of the incentive.

"For those that didn't win tickets to South Africa, we will be running hospitality events at Emirates Stadium and Old Trafford on 23 June for the England vs Slovenia game."

A total of 102 partners entered the competition, totalling 510 individuals within the companies.

The vendor's sporty summer continues with teams getting together for the IBM Business Partner Regatta, which takes place between Port Solent and Cowes. Up to 40 boats compete in several races between the two points. The event is taking place from Sunday 4 July to Tuesday 6 July. Current trophy holders are Capgemini.