Dr. Reita Faria Powell (born Bombay, date unknown) was the first Indian woman to win the Miss World title of 1966. After winning the Miss Bombay crown earlier that year, she won the Eve's Weekly Miss India contest (not to be confused with the Femina Miss India competition won that year by Yasmin Daji.) She was the first Asian to win Miss World.
After her one year tenure, she refused modeling and films and instead concentrated on medical studies. She lives in Dublin, Ireland with her husband David Powell, and has two children and five grandchildren. Reita was a judge at Femina Miss India 1998, and has come back to judge the Miss World competition on a few occasions.
Miss World Pageant was first held in 1951 in Lyceum Ballroom of London by Eric Morley as the Festival Bikini Contest. However, it adopted the name Miss World later. Even today the event remains under the control of the family. It is a fine amalgamation of glamour and charitable activities.
Miss World was originally planned as a one-off event. However, when Morley learnt about the upcoming Miss Universe pageant, he made it an annual event. The motive behind the event was to cash the popular swim wear of the time and hence it was named Festival Bikni. It was called Miss World by the press and it was later adopted by the organizers.
After the first contest, the bikinis were replaced by swim wear. With the advent of television, the popularity of the pageant grew constantly. The BBC began broadcasting the competition in 1959 while Channel 5 aired it in 1998. The organizers decided to reposition the pageant with the slogan Beauty With a Purpose in the 1980s to keep the event in sync with the times. The tests of intelligence and personality were added. The objective was to make the event politically correct.
In 21st century the event saw its first black African winner, Agbani Darego, in 2001. Miss World came with a new marketing strategy and it was successful too. The organizers introduced You Decide television special, featuring the delegates behind the scenes and on the beach. Viewers could now either phone in or vote online for their favorite contestants.
Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza Venezuela 1st Runner Up Taliana Vargas (Colombia)
Date: July 14, 2008 Presenters: Jerry Springer, Melanie Brown Entertainment: Lady GaGa Venue: Crown Convention Center, Nha Trang, Vietnam Broadcaster: NBC, Telemundo, VTV Entrants: 80 Debuts: Kosovo Winner: Dayana Mendoza Represented: Venezuela Miss Universe 2008, the 57th Miss Universe beauty pageant, was held at the Crown Convention Center (Diamond Bay Resort) in Nha Trang, Vietnam on July 14, 2008.[1] Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, was crowned Miss Universe 2008 by outgoing titleholder Riyo Mori of Japan.[2]
Eighty contestants competed in the event[3] which was broadcasted and distributed globally via NBC in English and Telemundo in Spanish to TV outlets in more than 180 countries. The pageant was watched by a live audience of 7,500 and nearly a billion television viewers worldwide.[4]
This is the first major USA-based television production to take place in Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War. This is also the first time that the Miss Universe pageant was broadcast in 1080i High-definition. And this pageant was held in a contemporary Communist state for the first time.
The final presentation show was on July 8, the dress rehearsal on July 13 and the live telecast on July 14. Most activities were held successively in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Sai Gon), Ha Noi, Da Nang, Hoi An, Ha Long and finally Nha Trang.
Jerry Springer, tabloid talk show host and host of NBC's America's Got Talent, and Melanie Brown, a.k.a. "Scary Spice", member of the UK pop group Spice Girls and host of TLC's The Singing Office, presented this year's competition. Lady GaGa, 22 year-old performer and songwriter, performed her single Just Dance.
Areas of Competition Crown Convention Center, Nha Trang.Prior to the final telecast, all contestants competed in swimsuit and evening gown during the preliminary competition. They also participated in interviews with the judges.
During the final competition, the top fifteen contestants (based on their preliminary scores) competed in the swimsuit competition, and the top ten (based upon individual swimsuit scores) competed in evening gown. The final five contestants (based upon individual score from evening gown) participated in a final round of on-stage interviews, before the runners-up were announced and the new Miss Universe named.
This was the second year since 2002 that the judges' average scores were shown on television.
Results.Miss Universe 2008: Dayana Mendoza (Venezuela) The runners-up were: 1st runner-up: Taliana Vargas (Colombia) 2nd runner-up: Marianne Cruz Gonzalez (Dominican Republic) 3rd runner-up: Vera Krasova (Russia) 4th runner-up: Elisa Najera (Mexico) The following contestants placed in the top ten and competed in both swimsuit and evening gown (in order of placement): Zana Krasniqi (Kosovo), Claudia Moro (Spain), Crystle Stewart (USA), Claudia Ferraris (Italy), Laura Dundovic (Australia) The following contestants placed in the top fifteen and competed in the swimsuit competition (in order of placement): Eliška Bučková (Czech Republic), Jázmin Dammak (Hungary), Tanzey Coetzee (South Africa), Hiroko Mima (Japan), Nguyễn Thùy Lâm (Vietnam)
Special awards Miss Congeniality: Rebeca Moreno (El Salvador) Best National Costume: Gavintra Photijak (Thailand) For the first time since the award's inception, no Miss Photogenic Award was given.
Final Competition Scores Swimsuit Evening Gown Venezuela 9.327 9.697 Colombia 9.433 9.829 Dominican Republic 8.983 9.036 Russia 8.414 8.471 Mexico 9.071 9.429 Kosovo 8.120 8.264 Spain 9.150 8.200 USA 9.207 8.050 Italy 7.671 7.729 Australia 7.814 7.557 Czech Republic 7.386 Hungary 7.229 South Africa 7.133 Japan 7.100 Vietnam 7.050
Historical Significance This is the first time Venezuela won Miss Universe since Alicia Machado won Miss Universe 1996. This is the fifth time Venezuela has won the title. Venezuela (1979, 1981, 1986, 1996, 2008) now ties with Puerto Rico (1970, 1985, 1993, 2001, 2006) for the second-most titleholders in Miss Universe history. Miss USA still holds the record with seven (1954, 1956, 1960, 1967, 1980, 1995, 1997). Since the pageant's inception in 1952, more than half of the contestants (29 total) who have won came from the Americas. Dominican Republic equaled the finish of Renata Sone in 2005, the highest finish of a contestant from the Dominican Republic since Amelia Vega won in 2003. Russia had the strongest finish (third runner-up) since Oxana Fedorova won in 2002, before she was later dethroned. Australia had the strongest finish (tenth) since Jennifer Hawkins won in 2004. This is the third year in a row that Japan made the Top 15 contestants. Contestants from Kosovo and Vietnam made the first cut of contestants for the first time in pageant history. Vietnam's selection past the first cut became the 45th time in pageant history the host country has its contestant make the first cut. Mexico placed for the fifth consecutive year. Czech Republic, Venezuela & Japan were also called out for the finals last year. Hungary, Colombia and Russia last placed in 2006 while South Africa and Dominican Republic last made the cut in 2005. Countries that got called out to the semi-finals after a long period without placement were: Italy (11 years), Spain (7 years) and Australia (4 years). It was the first time since 2001 where the number of European delegates surpassed that from the Americas in the semifinals, with 6 contestants from the old continent and 5 from the Americas. Thailand won the Best National Costume award for the fourth time. El Salvador won the Miss Congeniality award for the second time.
Judges Roberto Cavalli - Renowned fashion designer Joseph Cinque - President of the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences Jennifer Hawkins - Miss Universe 2004 Ishaa Koppikar - Bollywood actress Louis Licari - Celebrity Hairstylist Nguyen Cong Khe - Editor-in-Chief of Vietnamese newspaper Thanh Nien Taryn Rose - Footwear designer Donald Trump, Jr. - Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization; eldest son of Miss Universe co-owner Donald Trump Nadine Velazquez - actress on NBC's My Name Is Earl
Background Music Mika, "Love Today" — background music used for the Opening and Presentation of National Costumes Lady GaGa, "Just Dance" — performed live during the Swimsuit Competition Robin Thicke, "Magic" from the album Something Else — background music used during the Evening Gown Competition
Delegates Albania - Matilda Mecini Angola - Lesliana Pereira Antigua and Barbuda - Athina James Argentina - Silvana Belli Aruba - Tracey Nicolaas Australia - Laura Dundovic Bahamas - Sacha Scott Belgium - Alizée Poulicek Bolivia - Katherine David Céspedes Brazil - Natália Anderle Canada - Samantha Tajik Cayman Islands - Rebecca Parchment China - Ziya Wei Colombia - Taliana Vargas Costa Rica - María Teresa Rodríguez Croatia - Snježana Lončarević Curaçao - Jenyfeer Mercelina Cyprus - Dimitra Sergiou Czech Republic - Eliška Bučková Denmark - Marie-Sten Knudsen Dominican Republic - Marianne Cruz Gonzalez Ecuador - Doménica Saporitti Egypt - Yara Naoum El Salvador - Rebeca Moreno Estonia - Julia Kovaljova Finland - Satu Tuomisto France - Laura Tanguy Georgia - Gvantsa Daraselia Germany - Madina Taher Ghana - Yvette Nsiah Greece - Dionissia Koukiou Guam - Siera Robertson Guatemala - Jennifer Chiong Honduras - Diana Barrasa Hungary - Jázmin Dammak India - Simran Kaur Mundi Indonesia - Putri Raemawasti Ireland - Lynn Kelly Israel - Shunit Faragi Italy - Claudia Ferraris Jamaica - April Jackson Japan - Hiroko Mima Kazakhstan - Alfina Nassyrova Korea - Sun Lee Kosovo - Zana Krasniqi Malaysia - Levy Li Mauritius - Marie-Anne Olivia Mexico - Elisa Nájera Montenegro - Daša Živković Netherlands - Charlotte Labee New Zealand - Samantha Powell Nicaragua - Thelma Rodríguez Nigeria - Stephanie Oforka Norway - Mariann Birkedal Panama - Carolina Dementiev Paraguay - Giannina Rufinelli Peru - Karol Castillo Philippines - Jennifer Barrientos Poland - Barbara Tatara Puerto Rico - Ingrid Rivera Russia - Vera Krasova Serbia - Bojana Borić Singapore - Shenise Wong Slovakia - Sandra Manáková Slovenia - Anamarija Avbelj South Africa - Tansey Coetzee Spain - Claudia Moro Sri Lanka - Aruni Rajapaksha Switzerland - Amanda Ammann Tanzania - Amanda Ole Sulul Thailand - Gavintra Photijak Trinidad and Tobago - Anya Ayoung-Chee Turkey - Sinem Sülün Turks & Caicos - Angelica Lightbourne UK - Lisa Lazarus Ukraine - Eleonora Masalab Uruguay - Paula Díaz USA - Crystle Stewart Venezuela - Dayana Mendoza Vietnam - Nguyễn Thùy Lâm
Debuts Kosovo sent its first ever delegate Zana Krasniqi.
Withdrawals Barbados, Belize, Bulgaria, Guyana, Lebanon, Saint Lucia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Zambia competed in 2007 but not at Miss Universe 2008.
Returning states and territories Guam last competed in 2000.[34] Netherlands and Vietnam last competed in 2005. Cayman Islands, Ghana, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey and UK last competed in 2006.
New Crown For Miss Universe 2008 a new crown was unveiled. The 18k white and yellow gold crown was designed by CAO Fine Jewelry specifically for the event. With over 1,000 pecious stones, including 44 carats of diamonds, the crown has a value of $120,000 (USD). The design of the crown is highly symbolic. Vietnam is symbolized in the yellow gold, representative of the country's healthy economy, and in the crane, with represents the spirit and culture of Vietnam. Other colors stand for inspiration and feeling, while the depicted heart is meant to reflect faith, hope and unity. The curving patterns of the stones are a tribute to every country, reflecting growth. The crown will only be awarded as part of the contest this year, with the original Mikimoto design being awarded again next year.
Prizes Dayana Mendoza receives a prize package which includes cash, a one-year contract promoting Miss Universe, world travel, a rent-free, prestigious New York City apartment, a gift bag stuffed with free designer shoes, dresses and beauty products, a $100,000 USD stipend for a 2-year course at the New York Film Academy and free access to famous fashion houses and beauty parlors. Mendoza will spend her year-long reign traveling the world to lecture on humanitarian issues and promote education regarding HIV/AIDS, the official platform of the Miss Universe Organization.
Miss USA falls again Miss USA, Crystle Stewart, slipped and fell down the stairs during the Evening Gown competition. This was the second year in a row that a Miss USA delegate fell during Evening Gown. This is also the first time in pageant history a contestant fell down during the Evening Gown competition in two consecutive pageants, from the same country, or from any country. Miss USA 2007, Rachel Smith, fell during Miss Universe 2007 in Mexico, and received boos after she made the Top Five contestants. After Stewart fell, she encouraged the audience to applaud by clapping her hands.[41] She was eliminated after the Evening Gown Competition, finishing in eighth place.
Contestant Notes Miss Pays de Loire, Laura Tanguy, will represent France. She was second runner up in the Miss France competition, but the winner, Valérie Bègue, was banned after suggestive photos of her appeared in the media shortly after she was crowned. The first runner-up, Miss New Caledonia Vahinerii Requillart, decided to not compete in Miss Universe because she wants to continue studying. The winner of Miss Russia 2007 Ksenia Sukhinova was supposed to represent Russia, but due to her studies was replaced by her 2nd runner-up Vera Krasova.[citation needed] Claudia Moro, was appointed as representative of her country instead of winning the title. Patricia Yurena Rodriguez, who originally was crowned Miss Spain, was disqualified because she did not meet the minimum age requirement by the time asked by the Miss Universe Organization. Daša Živković (Montenegro) placed 3rd Runner-up at the Miss Tourism Queen International 2008 pageant. In February 2008, Miss Universe organization president Paula Shugart announced that a Miss Kosovo would compete in Miss Universe 2008 in Vietnam. Montenegro and Serbia had already announced that they would boycott the pageant if Kosovo participates. As Vietnam and Kosovo do not have diplomatic relations, the Vietnam government considered disallowing such participation since it opposes Kosovo's independence. In the end, Kosovo, Serbia, and Montenegro competed without incident. Kosovo's Zana Krasniqi made it to the finals, finishing sixth place. Ingrid Marie Rivera, Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2008 was 2nd Runner-up at Miss World 2005. She was previously Miss Global Queen 2003. Shenise Wong, Miss Singapore Universe 2008, was previously competed in Miss Asia-Pacific 1999, Miss International 2002, and Miss World 2005. Marianne Cruz, Miss Dominican Republic 2008 is the reigning Miss Continente Americano 2007. Sacha Scott (Bahamas) is the daughter of Miss Bahamas 1982, Christina Thompson-Scott, who competed in Miss Universe 1983 Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela 2007 was a finalist at the Elite Model Look International 2001, in Nice, France. Samantha Tajik, Miss Universe Canada 2008 currently holds the International Model Of The Year 2007 title and was 2nd runner-up in Miss Global Beauty Queen 2007. Barbara Tatara (Miss Poland) previously competed at Miss Earth 2007 but did not place. Aruni Madusha Rajapakse (Miss Sri Lanka) placed as a Semi-Finalist at Miss International 2007. Rebecca Parchment (Miss Cayman Islands) previously competed at Miss World 2007 but did not place. Tansey Coetzee (South Africa), Alizée Poulicek (Belgium), Laura Tanguy (France), Alfina Nassyrova (Kazakhstan) and Olivia Carey (Mauritius) will compete in Miss World 2008
Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela, Miss Universe 2008
NEWS: Victory in Vietnam Miss Venezuela, Dayana Mendoza, was crowned Miss Universe 2008 on July 13, 2008, in Nha Trang, Vietnam. The first runner-up was Taliana Vargas of Colombia. The second runner-up was Marianne Cruz Gonzalez of the Dominican Republic, and the third runner-up was Vera Krasova of Russia. The fourth runner-up was Elisa Najera of Mexico. Others among the top 10 were Claudia Ferraris of Italy, Zana Krasniqi of Kosovo, Crystle Stewart of the USA, Claudia Moro of Spain and Laura Dundovic of Australia. Others among the Top 15 were Lam Thuy Nguyen of Vietnam, Tansey Coetzee of South Africa, Hiroko Mima of Japan, Elisa Buckova of the Czech Republic and Jazmin Dammak of Hungary. Miss Congeniality, chosen by the contestants, was Rebeca Moreno of El Salvador. The winner of the award for Best Costume was Gavintra Photijak of Thailand. The makeup of the Top 5 was fairly conventional, with all the top 5 coming from countries that had won the crown previously. And the two top finishers came from the South American neighbors that arguably have the most vibrant beauty pageant cultures on Earth. The site of the pageant was one that would have seemed improbable only a decade earlier. The largest of the American-based pageant systems held its finals in Vietnam,the country still widely known for having successfully resisted American control in the 1960s and '70s. Vietnam, like some other major Asian nations, has gone in two decades from hostility toward pageants to a fervent embrace. Americans are likely to remember the pageant because for the second year in a row, Miss USA stumbled and fell onstage. Just as in 2007, the American representative recovered herself with admirable grace. One echo of international tensions that remain today was the presence of Zana Krasniqi, Miss Kosovo. It declared its independence from Serbia in early 2008 under the sponsorship of the United States and much of western Europe, and over the strong objections of a number of other countries. Vietnam does not recognize Kosovo, and Ms. Krasniqi initially had visa problems as she sought to attend the pageant. She eventually competed and made the top 10, but was referred to by Vietnamese officials as Miss Kosovo-Serbia. The biggest break with pageant tradition was probably the farewell walk by Miss Universe 2007, Riyo Mori of Japan. Instead of wearing an evening gown, she was clad in what some observers called a "cleavage tuxedo." The Rising Sun never rose more dramatically.
Miss Universe 2007 Date: 28 May 2007 Presenters: Vanessa Minnillo and Mario Lopez Entertainment: RBD Venue: Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico Broadcaster: NBC, Telemundo, Televisa Entrants: 77 Debuts: Montenegro, Serbia, Tanzania Withdraws: Cayman Islands, Chile, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Namibia, Northern Marianas, Sri Lanka, St. Martin, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Sweden, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom Returns: Barbados, Belize, Curacao, Honduras, Italy Winner: Riyo Mori Represented: Japan Congeniality: Ning Ning Zhang China Photogenic: Anna Theresa Licaros Philippines Miss Universe 2007, the 56th Miss Universe pageant, was won by Riyo Mori of Japan. It took place on 28 May 2007 at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, Mexico. 77 delegates competed for the title, previously held by Puerto Rico's Zuleyka Rivera.
The pageant was held almost two months prior to when it was held in 2006, although the event had generally been staged between late May and early June since 2001. Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera reigned for little more than ten months, one of the shortest in the history of the title. Contestants began to arrive in Mexico on 30 April 2007 and were to be involved in a number of appearances and events prior to the final competition.
This is the fourth time Mexico has been the host country and the second time Mexico City the host city of the Miss Universe pageant. Mexico first hosted the pageant in Acapulco in 1978. Miss Universe 1989 was then staged in Cancún and Miss Universe 1993 was held in Mexico City.
The pageant was co-hosted by Mario Lopez and Vanessa Minnillo, both first-time hosts of the Miss Universe pageant.[1] Minnillo, an Entertainment Tonight correspondent and former Miss Teen USA 1998, previously hosted the Miss Teen USA 2004 pageant. Lopez hosted the Miss Teen USA 1998 pageant (won by Minnillo) and also co-hosted Miss Teen USA 2003.
As Zuleyka Rivera was crowning Riyo Mori with the official Mikimoto crown, it slipped from her grasp and nearly fell to the floor. Mori was able to catch the crown, which is made of diamonds and pearls and is valued at over $250,000
Areas of competition Prior to the final telecast, all contestants competed in swimsuit and evening gown during the preliminary competition. They also participated in interviews with the judges.
During the final competition, the top fifteen contestants (based on their preliminary scores) competed in the swimsuit competition, and the top ten competed in evening gown. The final five contestants participated in a final round of on-stage interviews, before the runners-up were announced and the new Miss Universe named.
This was the second year since 2002 that the judges' average scores were shown on television.
It was also the first time since 2002 that the final question posed on the ladies came from the judges. The previous pageants had final questions coming from the current Miss Universe and the delegates participating in the final five themselves.
Crowd response Rachel Smith, Miss USA, was booed during and loudly jeered during her final interview. As she answered her question, there were loud shouts of "Mexico! Mexico!", which continued until she answered in Spanish. This followed a similar incident during Miss Universe 1993, when that year's Miss USA, Kenya Moore, was also booed. This may have been due to Miss USA making the top five despite slipping and falling during the evening gown competition, whilst home crowd favourite Mexico did not. It has also been attributed to political issues between the two countries, such as the illegal immigration policy as well as the War On Terror.
Smith had also been booed during the National Costume competition, an open-air event held prior to the final competition where admission was free to the public.
Results.Miss Universe 2007: Riyo Mori (Japan) The runners-up were: 1st runner-up: Natália Guimarães (Brazil) 2nd runner-up: Ly Jonaitis (Venezuela) 3rd runner-up: Honey Lee (Korea) 4th runner-up: Rachel Smith (USA) The following contestants placed in the top ten and competed in both swimsuit and evening gown (in order of placement): Flaviana Matata (Tanzania), Micaela Reis (Angola), Rosa Maria Ojeda (Mexico), Puja Gupta (India), Xiomara Blandino (Nicaragua) The following contestants placed in the top fifteen and competed in the swimsuit competition (in order of placement): Tjaša Kokalj (Slovenia), Lucie Hadasová (Czech Republic), Žaklina Šojić (Denmark), Farung Yuthithum (Thailand), Lyudmila Bikmullina (Ukraine) Special awards Miss Congeniality: Ning Ning Zhang (China) Miss Photogenic: Anna Theresa Licaros (Philippines) For the first time since the award's inception, no Best National Costume Award was given. Final competition scores Country Swimsuit Evening Gown Japan 9.599 8.943 Brazil 9.560 9.599 Venezuela 8.971 9.510 Korea 9.458 9.183 USA 8.995 8.754 Tanzania 9.223 8.488 Angola 9.150 8.363 Mexico 8.527 7.850 India 8.548 7.825 Nicaragua 8.171 7.674 Slovenia 8.163 Czech Republic 8.113 Denmark 7.969 Thailand 7.940 Ukraine 7.900 Top Fifteen, Eliminated after competing in the swimsuit competition. In a strong showing not witnessed since Miss Universe 1988, Asian delegates fared well at this year's edition, with four Asian delegates (Japan, Korea, India, and Thailand) making it to the Top 15. The two special awards were also won by delegates of Asian nations (Philippines and China). Of the 125 semi-finalists named in the past ten years, only 14 were from Asia Japan won the pageant for the second time since Akiko Kojima won Japan's first Miss Universe title in 1959.[citation needed] Puerto Rico was first 1st runner-up in 2005 and won in 2006. Japan followed the same trend for 2006-2007. Thailand, Denmark, Ukraine, India, Brazil and Japan made the cut for the second consecutive year. This was the first time since the 1960s that Denmark and Thailand recorded two consecutive placements. Mexico placed for the 4th consecutive year. USA placed for the 5th consecutive year. Slovenia and Tanzania placed for the first time. This was the first year that Tanzania participated in the pageant. Slovenia debuted in 2001. Angola and Nicaragua reached their highest placement in Miss Universe history, 7th and 10th place respectively breaking their previous records. Countries that made the semi-finals after a long period without placement were Nicaragua, which last placed in 1977, and Korea which last placed in 1988. Czech Republic placed for only the 3rd time, it placed in the top 10 in 1993 when it debuted in the pageant and in 2003. Philippines won the Miss Photogenic award for the seventh time (it has won this award three years in a row since 2005). China won the Miss Congeniality award for the first time.
Judges The following celebrities judged the final competition. Martel was added as a judge the day prior to the final competition.
James Kyson Lee - actor on Heroes Lindsay Clubine - Deal or No Deal briefcase model Tony Romo - Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dave Navarro - rock star Michelle Kwan - World and Olympic figure skating champion Mauricio Islas - Mexican actor Marc Bouwer - fashion designer Nina Garcia - Project Runway judge and Elle magazine fashion director Dayanara Torres - Miss Universe 1993 Christiane Martel - Miss Universe 1953
Background Music National Costume presentation: "Say It Right" by Nelly Furtado Swimsuit Competition: "Wanna Play", "Cariño Mio" and "Money Money" by R.B.D. Evening Gown Competition: "Give It Up To Me" by Sean Paul (featuring Keyshia Cole)
Delegates Albania - Sadina Alla Angola - Micaela Reis Antigua and Barbuda - Stephanie Winter Argentina - Daniela Stucan Aruba - Carolina Raven Australia - Kimberley Busteed Bahamas - Trinere Lynes Barbados - Jewel Garner Belgium - Annelien Coorevits Belize - Maria Jeffery Bolivia - Jessica Jordan Burton Brazil - Natália Guimarães Bulgaria - Gergana Kochanova Canada - Inga Skaya China - Ning Ning Zhang Colombia - Eileen Roca Costa Rica - Veronica Gonzalez Croatia - Jelena Maros Curaçao - Naemi Monte Cyprus - Polyvia Achilleos Czech Republic - Lucie Hadasová Denmark - Žaklina Šojić Dominican Republic - Massiel Taveras Ecuador - Lugina Cabezas Egypt - Ehsan Hatem El Salvador - Lisette Rodriguez Estonia - Viktoria Azovskaja Finland - Noora Hautakangas France - Rachel Legrain-Trapani Georgia - Ana Giorgelashvili Germany - Angelina Glass Greece - Doukissa Nomikou Guatemala - Alida Boer Guyana - Meleesea Payne Honduras - Wendy Salgado Hungary - Ildiko Bona India - Puja Gupta Indonesia - Agni Pratistha Israel - Sharon Kenett Italy - Valentina Massi Jamaica - Zahra Redwood Japan - Riyo Mori Kazakhstan - Gauhar Rakhmetalieva Korea - Honey Lee Lebanon - Nadine Njeim Malaysia - Adelaine Chin Mauritius - Sandra Faro Mexico - Rosa Maria Ojeda Montenegro - Snežana Bušković New Zealand - Laural Barrett Nicaragua - Xiomara Blandino Nigeria - Ebinabo Potts-Johnson Norway - Kirby Ann Basken Panama - Sorangel Matos Arce Paraguay - María José Maldonado Peru - Jimena Elías Roca Philippines - Anna Theresa Licaros Poland - Dorota Gawron Puerto Rico - Uma Blasini Russia - Tatiana Kotova Serbia - Teodora Marčić Singapore - Jessica Tan Slovakia - Lucia Senášiová Slovenia - Tjaša Kokalj South Africa - Megan Coleman Spain - Natalia Zabala Arroyo Saint Lucia - Yoanna Henry Switzerland - Christa Rigozzi Tanzania - Flaviana Matata Thailand - Farung Yuthithum Turks & Caicos - Saneita Been Ukraine - Lyudmila Bikmullina Uruguay - Giannina Silva United States - Rachel Smith U.S. Virgin Islands - Renata Christian Venezuela - Ly Jonaitis Zambia - Rosemary Chileshe
National competitions Withdrawals Cayman Islands, Chile, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Namibia, Northern Marianas, St. Martin, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Sweden, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey and United Kingdom competed in 2006 but not at Miss Universe 2007 Trinidad and Tobago did not send a delegate for the first time in fifteen years, due to a lack of financial support. Kenisha Thom, who represented Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 appealed to the government and businesses to support the pageant, to no avail. Aruni Rajapakse was expected to represent Sri Lanka in the pageant and was listed as a delegate on the Miss Universe website. On 5 May, her name was removed from the website, and it appears she will not compete in the pageant. Sri Lanka will compete in Miss Universe next year. Miss Rajapakse went on to compete in Miss International 2007 representing Sri Lanka and placing in the top 15.
Debuts Tanzania attended the Miss Universe pageant for the first time. Following Montenegrin independence in 2006, Serbia and Montenegro competed separately in Miss Universe for the first time.
Returning states and territories Honduras,[8] which last competed in 2002. Barbados, Belize, Curaçao, and Italy which last competed in 2005.
Format changes For the first time in the history of Femina Miss India Contest, the official winner will represent India in Miss World 2007 contest, while the 1st runner-up will compete at Miss Universe. As of 2006, the winner of Miss Israel competes in Miss World while the first runner-up goes to Miss Universe.
Contestant notes Megan Coleman, Miss South Africa 2006A number of contestants have taken part in other international competitions: Miss Guatemala (Alida Boer) competed in Miss Teen International 2000 where she placed first runner-up. Miss Peru (Jimena Elias) competed in the same pageant in 2006, and also placed first runner-up. Miss Belize (Maria Jeffery) is the sister of Miss Universe 1999 delegate, Viola Jeffery. Critics had suggested that Miss Belize would make the top 15 at Miss Universe 2007, but she missed the final cut. Maria went on to win the Miss Costa Maya International 2007 Pageant (held in Belize) three months later. Miss Bolivia (Jessica Jordan Burton) took part in Miss Earth 2006 in Manila. She was not a semi-finalist but placed in the top fifteen in the swimsuit prelimary competition. She won Miss Reina Internacional Del Cafe 2008/Miss International Queen Of Coffee 2008. The pageant was in Colombia. Miss Argentina (Daniela Stuncan Flimioni) competed in Miss World 2000 where she did not place in the finals, and at Miss Earth 2001, where she placed third runner-up. Miss Zambia (Rosemary Mulenga Chileshe) competed in Miss World 2004 where she did not place in the finals. Miss Norway (Kirby Ann Tan Basken) competed in Miss Intercontinental 2006, representing the Philippines, where she was a semifinalist. and she won the title of Mutya ng Pilipinas 2006 Miss Poland (Dorota Gawron) won the Miss Baltic Sea & Scandinavia title in September 2006. The second runner-up was Miss Denmark, Zaklina Sojic. First runner-up Sif Aradóttir represented Iceland at Miss Universe 2006. Miss Costa Rica (Veronica Maria Gonzalez Quesada) won the Reina Mundial del Banano title in 2006. Miss Brazil (Natália Guimarães) won the Top Model of the World 2007 title and competed in Miss Intercontinental 2006, where she was a semifinalist. Miss Angola (Micaela Reis), Miss Spain (Natalia Zabala Arroyo), Miss Russia (Tatyana Kotova), Miss South Africa (Megan Coleman), Miss Egypt, (Ehsan Hatem Al-Kirdany), Miss France (Rachel Legrain-Trapani) and Miss Lebanon (Nadine Njeim), will compete at Miss World 2007 Miss Nicaragua (Xiomara Blandino) and Miss Puerto Rico (Uma Blasini) competed in July at Miss Tourism Queen International 2007, both unplaced. Miss Angola (Micaela Reis) participated in the Miss World 2007 and won 1st runner-up. Miss Uruguay (Giannina Silva) was crowned Miss América Latina 2007 just days after Miss Universe 2007 ended. She was, however, later dethroned for undisclosed reasons. Miss Dominican Republic (Massiel Taveras) would go on and win Miss Reina Hispanoamericana 2007/Miss Hispano American 2007 in Bolivia. This pageant used to be called Reina Sudamericana, but it was opened to countries outside of South America, and became Reina Hispanoamericana in 2007. Miss Aruba (Carolina Raven) competed and win at Miss Teen International in 1999 Other contestant notes Miss China Ning-Ning Zhang is Miss Liaoning (China) Universe 2007,the winner of Miss Universe China 2007 Zi-Ya Wei will compete in Miss Universe 2008 pageant. Miss Jamaica (Zahra Redwood) is the first Rastafarian to represent Jamaica at Miss Universe.[10] Mauritius was represented by first runner-up Sandra Faro because Melody Selvon, the actual winner of the competition, was only 16 years old.[11] Rules state that all Miss Universe contestants must be over the age of 18. Miss Lebanon Nadine Njeim has the same name as Miss Lebanon 2004 (who competed at Miss Universe 2005). The two are unrelated.
National Costume controversy In April 2007, controversy erupted over the proposed national costume of Rosa María Ojeda, Miss Mexico. The skirt of the costume depicted scenes from the Cristero War, a Roman Catholic rebellion in the 1920s in which thousands of people were killed, including hangings. The outfit included a bullet-studded belt and crucifix necklace.[ The design was chosen from over thirty others and had been intended to show Mexico's culture and history, but it elicited controversy amid claims it was in poor taste and inappropriate. Pageant owners said that the costume would be redesigned to include image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Miss Universe 2006 Date: July 23, 2006 (2006-07-23) Presenters: Carlos Ponce, Nancy O'Dell Entertainment: Chelo, Vittorio Grigolo Venue: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA, USA Broadcaster: NBC Entrants: 86 Debuts: Kazakhstan Withdraws: Barbados, Belize, Curacao, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, Vietnam Returns: Argentina, Estonia, Ghana, Iceland, New Zealand, Northern Marianas, St Lucia, Saint Martin, Sweden Winner: Zuleyka Rivera Represented: Puerto Rico Miss Universe 2006, the 55th Miss Universe pageant, took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, USA. Unlike past events, it was held on Sunday, July 23, 2006 (almost two months later than usual). A live international broadcast was made on NBC.
The 2006 pageant is the first time the United States has been a host since 1998, and the second time for Los Angeles, which last hosted the pageant in 1990. The Republic of Kazakhstan was represented for the first time, while the following countries returned after some years of absence: Iceland (1997), New Zealand (2003), Argentina (2003), Saint Lucia (1977), Saint Martin (2000), Ghana (2004), Estonia (2004), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2004), Sweden (2004) and the Northern Mariana Islands (2002). The 2006 pageant also featured the most delegates in its history, with 86 delegates arriving in Los Angeles.
Natalie Glebova of Canada crowned her successor, Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico, at the conclusion of the two-hour show. Her reign was the longest ever in Miss Universe history: one year and two months, from the time she was crowned on May 31, 2005 in Bangkok, Thailand. Results Countries and territories which sent delegates and results. Miss Universe 2006: Zuleyka Rivera (Puerto Rico) The runners-up were: 1st runner-up: Kurara Chibana (Japan) 2nd runner-up: Lauriane Gilliéron (Switzerland) 3rd runner-up: Lourdes Arévalos (Paraguay) 4th runner-up: Tara Conner (USA) The Top 10 (alphabetic order after competing in swimsuit and evening gown): Desiree Durán Morales (Bolivia), Alice Panikian (Canada), Valerie Dominguez Tarud (Colombia), Priscila Perales (Mexico), Kenisha Thom (Trinidad & Tobago) The Top 20 (alphabetic order after competing in swimsuit): Magali Romitelli (Argentina), Rafaela Zanella (Brazil), Betina Faurbiye (Denmark), Dina Fekadu (Ethiopia), Adrienn Bende (Hungary) , Neha Kapur (India), Anna Litvinova (Russia), Josephine Alhanko (Sweden), Charm Onwarin Osathanond (Thailand), Inna Tsymbalyuk (Ukraine)
Special awards Congeniality: Angela Asare (Ghana) Photogenic: Lia Andrea Ramos (Philippines) National costume: Kurara Chibana (Japan)
Countries that placed for the first time are: Ukraine, Hungary and Ethiopia. Countries that got called out to the semi-finals after a long period without placement are: Denmark (39 years), Argentina (27 years), Thailand (18 years), Bolivia (16 years) and Sweden (9 years). Lauriane Gilliéron, 2nd runner-up became Switzerland's highest placement in Miss Universe, surpassing their 1983 record of 3rd runner-up. Venezuela did not place for only the second time in the past 24 years. Puerto Rico, with their fifth win, became the second most successful territory/state to compete at Miss Universe, after the USA. Philippines won the Miss Photogenic award for the second consecutive year (and its sixth). Japan won the Best National Costume award for the first time. Contestants Albania - Eralda Itaj Angola - Isménia Júnior Antigua and Barbuda - Shari McEwan Argentina - Magalí Romitelli Aruba - Melissa Vanessa Laclé Australia - Erin McNaught Bahamas - Samantha Carter Belgium - Tatiana Silva Bolivia - Desiree Durán Morales Brazil - Rafaela Zanella Bulgaria - Galena Dimova Canada - Alice Panikian Cayman Islands - Ambuyah Ebanks Chile - Belén Montilla China - Ying-Hui Gao Colombia - Valerie Domínguez Costa Rica - Fabriella Quesada Croatia - Biljana Mancic Cyprus - Eleni Ierodiakonoy Czech Republic - Renata Langmannova Denmark - Betina Faurbye Dominican Republic - Mía Taveras Ecuador - Katty Lopez Egypt - Fawzia Mohamed El Salvador - Rebeca Iraheta Estonia - Kirke Klemmer Ethiopia - Dina Fekadu Finland - Ninni Laaksonen France - Alexandra Rosenfeld Georgia - Ekaterine Buadze Germany - Natalie Ackermann Ghana - Angela Asare Greece - Olympia Hopsonidou Guatemala - Jackelinne Piccinini Guyana - Alana Ernest Hungary - Adrienn Bende Iceland - Sif Aradóttir India - Neha Kapur Indonesia - Nadine Chandrawinata Ireland - Melanie Boreham Israel - Anastacia Entin Jamaica - Cindy Wright Japan - Kurara Chibana Kazakhstan - Dina Nuraliyeva South Korea - Joo Hee Kim Latvia - Sanita Kublina Lebanon - Gabrielle Bou Rached Malaysia - Melissa Ann Tan Mauritius - Isabelle Antoo Mexico - Priscila Perales Namibia - Anna Nashandi New Zealand - Elizabeth Gray Nicaragua - Cristiana Frixione Mendoza Nigeria - Tienepre Oki Northern Mariana Islands - Shequita Bennett Norway - Martine Jonassen Panama - Alessandra Mezquita Paraguay - Lourdes Arevalos Peru - Fiorella Viñas Philippines - Lia Andrea Ramos Poland - Francys Sudnicka Puerto Rico - Zuleyka Rivera Russia - Anna Litvinova Serbia and Montenegro - Nada Milinic Singapore - Carol Cheong Yim Foon Slovakia - Judita Hrubyova Slovenia - Natasa Pinoza South Africa - Thuli Sithole Spain - Elisabeth Reyes Sri Lanka - Jacqueline Fernandez Saint Lucia - Sascha Andrew-Rose Saint Martin - Gisella Hilliman St. Vincent & the Grenadines - Shivern Peters Sweden - Josephine Alhanko Switzerland - Lauriane Gilliéron Thailand - Charm Onwarin Osathanond Trinidad and Tobago - Kenisha Thom Turkey - Ceyla Kirazli Turks & Caicos - Shaveena Been Ukraine - Inna Tsymbalyuk United Kingdom - Julie Doherty Uruguay - Fatimih Davila United States - Tara Conner US Virgin Islands - Cassie Portam Venezuela - Jictzad Viña Zambia - Mofya Chisenga
Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Universe 2006 Kurara Chibana, Miss Universe Japan 2006 and first runner-up Thuli Sithole, Miss South Africa 2005The two tallest delegates are from West Africa: Miss Ghana (6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) and Miss Nigeria (6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)) Four delegates have previously competed in the Miss World pageant. Trinidad and Tobago's Kenisha Thom represented her nation at Miss World 2004, and placed in the top 15. St. Lucia's Sascha Andrew-Rose also represented her nation at Miss World 2004, but failed to place. Lauriane Gilliéron of Switzerland and Tatiana Silva Braga Tavares of Belgium both competed at Miss World 2005 but failed to place as well. Miss Indonesia, Nadine Chandrawinata, is half German. The final competition evening gown for Miss USA Tara Conner was designed during a competition held on the reality television show Project Runway. Miss Colombia's cousin was Miss Colombia 2005 (who failed to make the cut at Miss Universe 2005). Another cousin of hers is pop singer Shakira. Miss Mauritius, Isabelle Antoo, is the sister of Miss Mauritius 2004, Magalie Antoo, who participated in the Miss Universe 2005 pageant in Thailand. Miss Mexico, Priscila Perales went on to compete in the Miss International 2007 pageant and win the title. She is the first ever Miss Mexico international to win the title. This year features the most delegates in the history of the pageant - 86. Countries that sent delegates the previous year, but failed to send a delegate to this year's competition include: Barbados, Belize, Curacao, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, and Vietnam. Although selecting delegates, the British Virgin Islands and Portugal ultimately did not end up participating. The British Virgin Islands selected Deria Joseph, while Portugal was slated to be represented by Marina Rodrigues. This is the first time Russia made the semifinals after the dethroning of Oxana Fedorova in 2002. Nada Milinic, is the last contestant to represent Serbia & Montenegro at Miss Universe. In 2007, Serbia and Montenegro would send separate contestants because of the countries' division. Zuleyka Rivera, the winner of Miss Universe 2006, had one of the shortest reigns of all, just about 10 months, since Miss Universe 2005, Miss Canada, won in May 2005. Miss Puerto Rico Universe had been the 2nd-runner up in Miss Universe 2004, first runner-up in Miss Universe 2005, and winner in Miss Universe 2006. Fabriella Quesada, Miss Costa Rica, would go on and win Miss Reina Internacional del Cafe 2007/Miss International Queen of Coffee 2007. The pageant was in Colombia. She also was Miss Teen International 2002. Mia Taveras, Miss Dominican Republic, would go on and win Miss Continente Americano 2006/Miss American Continent 2006. The pageant was in Ecuador. Cristiana Frixione, Miss Nicaragua, would go on and win World Miss University 2006 in South Korea
