¡ATENCIÓN! En este foro celebramos la belleza de la Mujer, así que NO SE PERMITE bajo ningún pretexto o circunstancia, NINGÚN INSULTO hacia ninguna delegada, sea de mexicanos, boricuas, venezolanos o de cualquier otro país. Son huéspedes de un Foro de tradición y en el que el RESPETO es indispensable. Gracias.
ME ENCANTA QUE LAS FOTOS DE PERLA HAYAN CAUSADO TÁNTA CONTROVERSIA!!! -- AL, 13:02:04 11/20/09 Fri(cablelink-187-160-41-143.pcs.intercable.net/187.160.41.143)
El objetivo era sacar a Perla, en una faceta diferente, y dejar de verla con el mismo look de siempre, que todas las reinas de belleza utilizan y al cual todos estamos muy acostumbrados.
De hecho, creo que después de la reacción de mucha gente de este foro, en donde dicen que se ve horrenda, me he dado cuenta que en este foro somos muy hipócritas y cerrados, porque si vemos fotografías "fashion" de representantes de otros países, (como podrán ver, en otros posteos de este mismo foro, mas abajo)todo mundo alaba el trabajo y le encanta, pero cuando tenemos a nuestras reinas haciendo algo así, y de calidad (porque no me vayan a decir ahora que el trabajo es chafa) No les gusta.
Quien los entiende??
Yo se que en gustos se rompen géneros, y este trabajo no lo hicimos con el afán de darle gusto a nadie, mas que a nosotros mismos, de lograr proyectar lo que queríamos en las fotos, y la verdad es que quedamos encantados, no solo con el resultado de las fotos, sino con la experiencia de trabajar con Perla, quien es un extraordinario ser humano. Y a veces se nos olvida que estamos hablando de seres humanos, y soltamos todo nuestro odio, frustraciones y complejos de manera anónima en este foro, para criticar a un ser humano, sin importar si inventan cosas. La verdad que me da pena esa gente, pero no hay nada que yo pueda hacer, así que son bienvenidas sus críticas, y como dicen... se toman de quien vienen.
Sólo para aclarar las dudas de algunos que comentaron sin fundamentos:
Esta no fue una prueba ni propuesta de como se va a arreglar Perla en la final, es más ella ni siquiera sabía el concepto hasta que llegó a la sesión, le enseñamos los vestidos y le explicamos el concepto del peinado y maquillaje que queríamos hacerle, y como toda profesional, no objetó porque sabe que presta su imagen para un trabajo que ya estaba estructurado y definido. Ella no tiene la culpa de nada, para que no la critiquen, y nosotros no estamos involucrados en la preparación de Perla para Miss World, ni nada, así es que no se apuren... Por aquellos a los que no les gustó, no trabajamos para Nuestra Belleza, ni estamos asesorando a nadie, como por ahí comentaron...
Aquí les dejo más fotos "horrendas" para que a quienes no le gustaron, tengan más material para seguir criticando; y las comparto con todo mi cariño para aquellos a los que si les gustaron; este trabajo lo hicimos con el corazón y si alguien las quiere en mejor resolución, para hacer otro banner o para lo que sea, yo se las paso, ya que las tuve que hacer más pequeñas para que pudieran verse en el foro.
Saludos!!
Ah! y se me olvidaba... es en serio, y no por ofender ni atacar, pero "abran" su mente, no sean cuadrados, estudien, actualícense y aprendan a buscar la belleza, no lo malo y negativo de la vida y las personas
En missosology.org dicen que ganó BRAZIL, pero en wikipedia dice que ganó Venezuela -- Paparazzi - Ummm!!!!, 08:25:30 11/22/09 Sun(dsl-187-152-185-45-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/187.152.185.45)
Ya es oficial!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GANO Brazil - Larissa Ramos!!!! -- Paparazzi - OMG!, 08:28:29 11/22/09 Sun(dsl-187-152-185-45-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/187.152.185.45)
Miss Brazil - Miss Earth 2009
Miss Philipppines - Miss Air
Miss Venezuela - Miss Water
Miss Spain - Miss Fire
MISS EARTH 2009 TOP 8 -- Lain, 07:51:46 11/22/09 Sun(NoHost/189.22.150.134)
Thailand, B R A Z I L , Poland, Martinique, Spain, Venezuela, Philippines and Colombia. That's the Top 8!
Top 16 MISS EARTH 2009 -- Lain, 07:28:31 11/22/09 Sun(NoHost/189.22.150.134)
Poland
Korea
Brazil
Colombia
Thailand
Spain
Northern Ireland
Philippines
South Africa
France
Singapore
Georgia
Martinique
India
Venezuela
Paraguay
Miss Colombia: Fotos sin Photoshop antes de ir al Miss Colombia (abril o mayo de este año) -- Ojo, 23:44:51 11/20/09 Fri(130.70.118.70.cfl.res.rr.com/70.118.70.130)
Esta joven no tiene ni una cirugia....veremos como luce antes de Miss Universo.
POR FIN LA GRAN FINAL DEL MISS EARTH 2009 -- DOMINGO 22, 7:45 AM HORA DEL ESTE EN U.S.A., 00:41:32 11/22/09 Sun(c-66-229-210-157.hsd1.fl.comcast.net/66.229.210.157)
miss earth 2009 live internet broadcast -- ..............., 02:42:10 11/22/09 Sun(cpe-75-84-151-39.socal.res.rr.com/75.84.151.39)
the offical internet broadcast of miss earth 2009
>>>.... FINAL DE MISS EARTH 2009 POR INTERNET!!!....<<<< -- FAN, 18:13:53 11/21/09 Sat(CPE0016cbc47455-CM0011e67c2665.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com/173.34.1.36)
.
.
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photos from opening number video shoot MISS EARTH 2009 -- ...................., 22:21:06 11/21/09 Sat(cpe-75-84-151-39.socal.res.rr.com/75.84.151.39)
BORACAY ISLAND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH IN THE WORLD HOSTS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMEN ON EARTH
so exciting...it will be the best production ever ....with the stunning boracay island scenery as backdrop...u cant go wrong
miss earth 2009 candidates partying it up in boracay -- ............, 20:56:54 11/21/09 Sat(cpe-75-84-151-39.socal.res.rr.com/75.84.151.39)
boracay night life is phenomenal........boracay does it better
LA CRUELDAD EN CHINA -- ALEX, 22:29:49 11/20/09 Fri(wimax-cpe-189-213-89-182/189.213.89.182)
COMO ES POSIBLE QUE EXISTAN SERES HUMANOS TAN CRUELES COMO ESTOS CHINOS... EN SERIO QUE ME DA MUCHO CORAJE NO SOLO A MI SI NO A CUALQUIER PERSONA QUE VEA ESTE VIDEO ... AHI ES CUANDO DIGO SI A LA GUERRA , GENTE COMO ESTA NO DEBERIA DE EXISTIR!!!!
Re: MISS COLOMBIA -- La ganadora es muy bella, pero para mí es mucho más bella META, 07:34:04 11/20/09 Fri(dsl-201-137-134-147-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/201.137.134.147)
gane o no ya ha hecho historia, las mas bella del 2009 -- la diosa colon, 10:53:30 11/21/09 Sat(evdo113-227-206-67.dynamic.centennialpr.net/67.206.227.113)
miss ecuador having a grand time in boracay -- .............., 11:42:55 11/21/09 Sat(cpe-75-84-151-39.socal.res.rr.com/75.84.151.39)
photos courtesy of diana delgados camera via facebook
the candidtates cant get enough of the stunning beauty of boracay island
intercambios -- eduardo reyes (intercambios), 18:44:27 11/21/09 Sat(dsl-189-235-137-152-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/189.235.137.152)
HOLA QUE TAL,,,,,, GENTE QUE LE GUSTE EL INTERCAMBIO DE VIDEOS DE LAS MISES DEL MUNDO COMO MISS UNIVERSO ,,MUNDO ,,INTERNACIONAL ,,USA ,,VENEZUELA ,,,COLOMBIA ,,,, PUERTO RICCO ,,,NB SONORA ,,NB MEXICO ,,,,ETC PONTE EN CONTACTO E INTERCAMBIEMOS Y TMABIEN RECORTES DE REVISTA OK,,,, mi correo es ,,,,edugym69@hotmail.com
MISS EARTH -- riyo mori, 17:10:09 11/21/09 Sat(pool-71-189-111-143.lsanca.fios.verizon.net/71.189.111.143)
a que hora y cual es el link donde trasmitiran en vivo miss earth???
Para los que dicen que ser negro es de lo peor, la belleza se da en cualquier lugar y para gustos los sabores -- Paparazzi - Tomen changos sus bananas!!!!, 15:53:48 11/20/09 Fri(dsl-187-152-222-37-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/187.152.222.37)
miss earth 2009 in paradise -- .............., 01:17:16 11/21/09 Sat(cpe-75-84-151-39.socal.res.rr.com/75.84.151.39)
the ladies are having the time of their lives and are amazed at the stunning beauty of boracay island , philippines
miss czech republic making a splash in boracay -- ........, 15:16:34 11/21/09 Sat(cpe-75-84-151-39.socal.res.rr.com/75.84.151.39)
photos courtesy of tereza budkova's camera via facebook
boracay, the most beautiful beach in the world with the loveliest women in the world...perfect combination
miss slovak republic having some awesome fun in boracay -- ............, 15:01:49 11/21/09 Sat(cpe-75-84-151-39.socal.res.rr.com/75.84.151.39)
photos courtesy of lea sindlerova's camera
the ladies cant get enough of the fun and beauty of boracay island ,philippines
the very hot miss israel having a fabulous time in boracay -- ................, 13:48:10 11/21/09 Sat(cpe-75-84-151-39.socal.res.rr.com/75.84.151.39)
photos courtesy of noy michaelov's camera via facebook
the ladies are raving how stunning and fun boracay island is........
TENEMOS DOS ESCENARIOS -- MARKUS, 23:07:25 11/20/09 Fri(dsl-189-234-94-126-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/189.234.94.126)
VIENDO QUE TRES CONCURSOS INTERNACIONALES ESTAN DESARROLLANDOSE EN ESTE MOMENTO ..PUES AQUI LES VAN MIS PREDICCIONES TOMANDO EN CUENTA LA BASE DE DATOS DE UNA ENCUESTA INTERNACIONAL LA CUAL REVELO LOS PAISES MAS CORRUPTOS DEL MUNDO Y ENTRE ELLOS , ENTRE LOS PRIMEROS 20 UNOS QUE NO MENCIONARE POR QUE ME DA ASCO , PERO CUYA DELEGADA ROBO EL TITULO DE MISS UNIVERSE 2009 A OTRA U OTRAS QUE SI LO MERECIAN...ADEMAS DEBO MENCINARLES QUE MEXICO ESTA FUERA DE ESE TOP 20 ..AUNQUE HAY CORRUPCION , NO AL GRADO DE OTROS PUERCOS.
AQUI ESTAN MIS IDEAS U OPINIONES AL RESPECTO DE LOS RESULTADOS DE ESTOS TRES CERTAMENES ..MISS EARTH , MISS INTERNATIONAL , Y MISS WORLD.
MISS EARTH ( CORRUPTO )
WINNER : PHILIPPINES ..BACK TO BACK
2.CUBA
3.MEXICO
4.BRAZIL
MISS EARTH ( JUSTO )
WINNER : CUBA
2.MEXICO
3.PHILIPPINES
4.BRAZIL
*************
MISS INTERNATIONAL ( CORRUPTO )
WINNER : CHINA
2.MEXICO
3.SPAIN
4.MARTINIQUE
5.BRAZIL
Ms. Earth 2009 boosts Boracay’s tourism status
By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
November 21, 2009, 6:36pm
BORACAY — This island paradise, noted for its white sand beaches and clear azure seas, further boosts its fame as the country’s premier beach destination with the staging of the prestigious Miss Earth 2009 beauty pageant.
Beamed across the world by ABS-CBN Channel 2 (TFC) and The Filipino Channel, beauties from 80 countries will vie for the titles Miss Earth, Miss Earth-Air, Miss Earth-Water and Miss Earth-Fire on November 22 at the Boracay Ecovillage Resort and Convention Center in Barangay Yapak.
Off the northern tip of Aklan province, the island of Boracay offers unparalleled fine white sand beaches for the Miss Earth delegates but also to millions of tourists from all over the world.
In the preliminaries, Evelyne Almasi from Tanzania bagged the Best in National Costume during the Miss Earth 2009 National Costume Competition at the Amazing Philippines Theater in Pasig City on November 4.
Miss Puerto Rico Dignelis Jimenez was Miss Psamlstre New Placenta while Miss Guam Maria Luisa Santos received the Pasigandahan Award.
On two separate occasions earlier this month, Miss Earth Philippines Sandra Seifert won both the Best in Swimsuit at the Fontana Leisure Park and Casino in Pampanga and the Best in Evening Gown at the PAGCOR Grand Theater in Parañaque.
Organizer Carousel Productions, Inc. Executive Vice President Lorraine Schuck said the Miss Earth delegates this year have been spreading the message to live an eco-friendly lifestyle by seriously implementing the 4Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Respect.
The 2009 Miss Earth Beauty Pageant on Boracay Island is being supported by the Miss Earth Foundation, Discovery Suites, Fairways and Bluewater, Fontana Leisure Parks, Boracay Ecovillage Resort and Convention Center, Alta Vista de Boracay, Mito’s Place Boracay, Patio Pacific Boracay, PAGCOR, Nestle Nesvita and Karilagan International Travel & Tours Corp, Ricky Reyes and COCOLIFE.
Escandalo!!! En Miss Universe van a tener que depurar muy bien a las candidatas!! -- Before and After, 20:49:55 11/17/09 Tue(120.45.167.190.d.dyn.codetel.net.do/190.167.45.120)
informacion -- Rodolfo, 06:18:15 11/21/09 Sat(171.Red-83-61-33.dynamicIP.rima-tde.net/83.61.33.171)
Hola,alguien me podria decir si pasaran por internet el concuso Miss Earth,y cual seria y el horario gracias.
PARA RECORDAR.... -- JC, 18:21:59 11/20/09 Fri(201.143.109.125.dsl.dyn.telnor.net/201.143.109.125)
Las chicas del tratado de libre comercio en Miss Universo 1996 celebrado en LAS VEGAS.
Ali Landry (Miss USA), Renette Cruz (Miss Canada) y Vanessa Guzmán (Miss México)
Hate to admit that attrition has occurred again in this year’s Miss Earth pageant, as the number of delegates declined from 85 last year to 80. Despite earlier confirmations, perennial participants Bolivia and Bosnia & Herzegovina failed to show up along with Croatia, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Malawi, and Romania. Botswana was disqualified for being too short at 1.51m. Nicaragua had to back out because its candidate encountered visa issues. Vietnam’s representative encountered an injury before competition was about to begin. Other perennials like Finland and Germany didn’t even bother to field a representative. However, as the weeks progressed it turns out that the quality of this year’s delegates prove to be of a highly competitive caliber—there are a whole slew of worthy contenders vying for the 18 slots in the finals, so a satisfying mix of finalists is going to be extremely likely this year, even as some might lament on a few possible shut-outs. I am optimistic that the attrition will likely be stemmed next year.
This time I will organize my homestretch review instead of a straightforward alphabetical manner into alphabetically according to their groupings during the various pre-pageant activities. So without further ado, let us begin with…
GROUP ONE
This group was loaded with major powerhouse contenders. Though the five chosen for the shortlist in the Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown competitions were worthy choices, I felt there were several others who deserved to be shortlisted also—too bad they had to limit to five in each competition, and three of those slots were filled by the same favorites. Three of the Cocoa Babes and two of the Crème Confections were among those that were overshadowed by the favorites. Anyway, without further ado, here are the ladies in Group 1:
ALBANIA – Suada Saliu. Her gawky pre-arrival photos and then that fright of wildly shocking curls early in her stay may have made fans, wags, and pundits shudder at her being, but as the days wore on, those curls were tamed and she started looking more attractive—more akin to, say, “Friends” star Lisa Kudrow. She turned out to be surprisingly a worthwhile delegate.
AUSTRALIA – Melinda Heffernan. Normally, if you are searching for the best delegate from Oceania, typically fingers would be pointing toward this country. Well, in the real world she would qualify as attractive, but in a stratified milieu like this pageant, she was easily overshadowed by the embarrassment of riches out there.
BAHAMAS – Krystal Brown. She may not be one of the Cocoa Babes, but she was among those who placed the Caribbean region at a stratified level in this year’s pageant. She was a complete package of intelligence, fitness, and attractiveness.
CHINA – Yan Xu. There might be a few who might find her cute, but to my eyes, she was probably one of the weakest fielded by this rising pageant powerhouse in any Grand Slam pageant. Her winning a sponsor’s prize (because of the heritage of the owners of the resort) should be consolation enough.
COLOMBIA – Alejandra Castillo. Prior to her arrival, pageant pundits barely paid attention to her as some felt that maybe her studio photos were heavily photoshopped as she may not be as impressive as portrayed. But when she finally arrived, it turned out she was a driven, polished, and competitive contender who clearly knew how to make the right impression and was a complete package at a stratified level. She is on line to sustain her country’s finalist showing in this pageant.
CUBA – Jamilette Gaxiola. Her pre-arrival photos may seem that she’s a classic beauty. But in person, her features were actually a tad more exotic, but she was still undeniably drop-dead gorgeous and beautiful—I saw minor traces of Miss Earth 2003 Dania Prince in her features. Another key standout quality she possessed were her ample bosom, which she often showcased with great aplomb in swimsuit and national costume—she is my BB Sweepstakes winner for this year’s pageant. Her voluptuousness eventually won me over, and her features grew on me that I do foresee she could conceivably land in the Top 8.
CZECH REPUBLIC – Tereza Budkova. Because this group was laden with top-tier contenders and the Filipinos were fixated with the Latinas, this drop-dead-gorgeous lass had some difficulty generating much needed buzz within this country—she was not short-listed in the swimsuit and gown rounds. But her beauty couldn’t be denied, and she does have some passionate support that resulted in her earning the much-deserved Miss Photogenic award. If justice would prevail, she should also sustain the four-years-and-counting semifinals streak this country enjoyed in this pageant.
DENMARK – Patricia Tjørnelund. Her appearance vis-à-vis her name made me recall about some preconceived notions one might have when one hears a very Scandinavian name. For instance, I could recall regarding famous Swedish chef Marcus Samuelsson, chef and co-owner of the New York restaurant Aquavit—one might think he would be tall, Caucasian and blonde, not short, black, and African (he’s Ethiopian adopted by Swedish parents). The same notion may apply to this lady, as instead of blonde and Caucasian, she turned out to be dusky and biracial. She has a gorgeous face, and photos may seem to show she has a trim torso. Unfortunately, she has one glaring flaw—her legs were wide and stumpily short in proportion to her upper body.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – Mariel Garcia. Here is the first member of the Cocoa Babes. Some pundits and fans may have thought that she sometimes projected like a drag queen, but I thought her features still remained undeniably feminine and pretty, and her lean and trim supermodel’s figure deserved to be reckoned with. I had compared her to Miss Universe 2002 contestant Ruth Ocumarez, and I meant it as a compliment, though it may have also raised concerns that even if she was more gorgeous than 2007 semifinalist Themys Febriel, she might end up missing the final cut similar to the highly regarded Ruth. Still keeping my fingers crossed, though.
GABON – Marlyne Lea Ayenne. She is an attractive contender from Africa, but this year the Africans were clearly overshadowed by the Caribbean Cocoa Babes. Her memorably moment was her African booty shaking dance during her costume presentation.
GEORGIA – Nona Diakonidze. Though there were some pageant pundits who initially found her features a bit too vampish (Cruella de Vil was the usual term employed), I always thought she was gorgeous from the get-go. Besides, those very features tend to be highly favored during pre-judging—this was how Bosnia & Herzegovina made the cut in 2004 and 2006—I had been describing the look as “Bosnian Vamp” for the past few years now. Because of those features alone, it is highly conceivable that she’ll earn herself a slot in the Top 18.
GUADELOUPE – Mary-Ange Seymour. She’s trim and attractive and also another one who made the Caribbean region the region to reckon with in this year’s pageant.
HONG KONG – Wang Shan Shan. Well, this lady was better-looking than Miss China, though she seemed to be in the same boat as Miss China in terms of level of sponsor support and preparedness—but they did seem to be sporting more-than-decent gowns during the Evening Gown Finals event at Casino Filipino.
HUNGARY- Korinna Kocsis. I could see how she was able to edge out the two Crème Confections and the three Cocoa Babes in her group to be shortlisted in the Swimsuit Competition—she exuded a laid-back beach beauty vibe (sorry, Miss World) with her mass of wavy brunette tresses, trim physique, and tanned complexion. If we based it on looks alone she has the inside track into the Top 18. But I have a major issue with her communication skills—during the Press Presentation and National Costume Competition, she spoke as if there was a muffler in her mouth—I don’t know if Hungarians who attempt to speak English really sounded like that. If her sash said Bosnia & Herzegovina she would’ve probably gotten away with it, though she doesn’t have the “Bosnian Vamp” look the way Miss Georgia has. But let’s give her credit that she’s the best delegate ever fielded by this country to this pageant.
INDONESIA – Nadine Zamira Syarief. Onstage and whenever she opened her mouth, I thought she was a possible upset choice who could conceivably land in the Top 18. She was a polished presence onstage, with an elegantly dignified bearing that was exhibited during the National Costume Competition. But her main asset was her superb communication skills—her English was not 100% impeccable as I observed a few minor grammatical lapses in her speeches, but it was way stronger than what you would have expected from a typical Indonesian, and she could communicate her commitment to the cause very clearly and effectively. However, in a more casual setting, her looks turned out to be rather ordinary. Could she parlay her stage skills, intelligence, and gab to overcome her disadvantages and make the final cut?
ISRAEL – Noy Michaelov. Her facial features were not my cup of tea, but I have to concede she was a polished, worthwhile contender who deserved some credit.
JAMAICA – Jenaae Jackson. She actually has all the qualities to make the final cut, as she was the best delegate fielded by this country so far, but amongst the Cocoa Babes, she was the one who didn’t seem to know how to capitalize on her bountiful assets (not necessarily physical like Miss Cuba) to its fullest as she tended to be not as assertive as she could’ve been.
JAPAN – Tomomi Takada. It’s coincidental that two ladies who resembled standout non-finalist contenders at the legendary 2002 Miss Universe pageant were pitted in the same group. I had mentioned about Miss Dominican Republic’s resemblance to her countrywoman, Ruth Ocumarez. Now, meet Karen Loren Agustin, but wearing the sash of Japan. Her looks may not be for conventional tastes, but she does strike a fierce presence onstage. For her stage skills, competitive drive, and her lean-and-trim figure, she is arguably the strongest fielded by this country in this pageant.
LATVIA – Diana Kubasova. I had mentioned in my “Cocoa Babes and Crème Confections” article how I thought she was the blonde who could break the long “Blonde-less Drought” in the finals. She has the gorgeousness and the figure to pull it off. Unfortunately, that mantle seemed to have been taken away from her as Miss France just blossomed during the later stages of the competition; no-showing during the Evening Gown Competition finals also doesn’t seem to be a good sign. I’m still keeping the faith as she was simply that beautiful.
MARTINIQUE – Pascale Nelide. No special awards nor sponsor prizes that I know of. I’m baffled why she wasn’t getting a lion’s share of attention that she deserved, because she oozed so much charm when she appeared, and her features were simply so stunning in my eyes. Just because she couldn’t speak English that well? Well, that didn’t stop Murielle Celimene from becoming first runner-up five years ago, right? Of all the underrated gems I have cited in my previous article, this lady would be the one I would be rooting fervently for to succeed.
PAKISTAN – Ayesha Gilani. She was the most polished Pakistani representative ever sent to this pageant—I simply adored her splendidly shimmering national costume. And she’s also great-looking and trim enough to hold her own amidst this formidable field.
POLAND – Izabella Wilczek. Most pundits underrated this lady prior to her arrival, but things changed when she landed on our shores as she exuded charisma. She also turned out to be a polished complete package with fierce stage chops that she is turning into one of the Europeans-most-likely in such a cutthroat group. Her dramatic gown presentation at Casino Filipino was one that I’ll remember for a long time.
SOUTH AFRICA – Chanel Grantham. She’s a tad plainer that what we typically expect from a South African representative, but she does have the gab and personality that was the usual trademark of a South African beauty queen.
SPAIN – Alejandra Echevarria. There were pundits who are not into her features, but examining them up closely, she reminded me of a legendary Filipina beauty queen—Miss World 1973 1st runner-up (and shoulda-been winner especially since the winner was dethroned) Evangeline Pascual. She was likewise a stratified complete package of beauty, brains, figure, stage presence, and even environmental commitment. So it’s not surprising how she was shortlisted in both swimsuit and evening gown. I also observed how she (or her handlers) integrated the environmental message in a subtly symbolic way, with the green color of her national costume and evening gown. She is poised to garner an element in this pageant.
TONGA – Mary Greatz. First, a welcome debut for this country in this pageant. And considering that the little that I know of this country made me think that they would probably send someone overweight or out-of-shape, here came this trim and attractive lady whose unique feature was that one of her teeth was capped in gold. She’s a surprisingly worthwhile contender who clearly was no cellar-dweller.
UKRAINE – Karina Golovata. Her facial features may be a tad subtle, but they were undeniably pretty. It was like a refreshing, down-to-earth face. I wouldn’t be that surprised if she would bring forth the long-awaited Ukrainian breakthrough in this pageant, though I would wonder on whose expense amongst the Europeans would she garner that slot.
VENEZUELA – Jessica Barboza. From her Sambil pictures I sensed that she would be someone to reckon with, and despite the objection of some pundits, I firmly believed she delivered on the expectations in spades. She physically resembled Miss World 2002 finalist and Miss International 2003 winner Goizeder Azua, and despite the lack of an Osmel Souza training background, she managed to be as polished as we expected from representatives from her country.
Now, let me trot out my leaderboard and show you how I thought the Group 1 delegates stood.
STRONG: ALBANIA, AUSTRALIA, DENMARK, ISRAEL, SOUTH AFRICA, TONGA
VERY GOOD: HONG KONG
GOOD: CHINA
AT THE HOMESTRETCH (GROUP 2)
by Joseph Vitug
GROUP TWO
The ladies in Group 2 featured among others one mocha-colored Cocoa Babe, a slew of Asian contenders including one prohibitive front-runner for the crown, a sleeper Mediterranean favorite, the entire Benelux contingent, a super-statuesque African, and two fierce lovelies from North America. The three ladies who arrived too late to make it to the November 4 Press Presentation (and National Costume Competition) likewise were placed in this group. So, let us examine them all, shall we?
ARGENTINA – Gisela Menossi. She was a surprisingly stronger-than-expected contender from this country, as her modeling experience helped her make the right impression onstage, and she’s attractive and trim enough to deservingly keep up with the best. Still a far cry from Miss Earth-Fire 2001 Daniela Stucan eight years ago, though.
BELGIUM – Isabel Van Hoof. Well, she’s attractive, though a bit raw. Considering she kept on sporting wardrobe with low necklines and no cleavage to show for it, I think I should award her the “Flapper Award” (this is like the opposite of the “BB Sweepstakes Award”).
CANADA – Lateesha Ector. She’s the first dark-complexioned representative from her country to this pageant. In my opinion, she is arguably even better than Miss Earth 2007 Jessica Trisko, as she’s great looking, she’s buffed (she’s shortlisted in the Swimsuit Competition from her group, remember), she’s polished, and yes, she’s an excellent communicator. Efforts on her part to speak our native language even as there was nothing Filipino flowing in her veins would only help her earn extra brownie points.
COSTA RICA – Malena Orozco. Besides being one of the late arrivals, one prominent feature about this attractive fair-complexioned lady was her statuesque 6’0” height. Too bad, she couldn’t seem to capitalize on her strengths to the max as she could have.
ECUADOR – Diana Delgado. She was also another late arrival. She was an attractive dusky Latina who sported a red gown with a humongous train during the Group 2 Evening Gown Competition at Greenbelt 5 in Makati. But she does pale in comparison with the bevy of Latina stunners out there.
ENGLAND – Kirsty Nichol. It was a good thing when she arrived that she grew out her bangs and combed it out, as she was more attractive than expected. Still, I found her other colleagues from the British Isles stronger in the face department. Anyway, let’s just hand it to her for being a worthwhile contender.
GHANA – Mariam Abdul Rauf. Her figure was not as trim and toned as the majority of the contenders out there, though maybe we should attribute it to African tastes that we may not readily appreciate. Still, she’s attractive and worthwhile.
INDIA – Shriya Kishore. As long as she’s allowed to strut onstage, she would exude a charismatically glamorous presence. Of course she also has the superb communication skills we expect from representatives of her country, and her figure was trim enough to keep up with the best of them. I did find her very attractive, but admittedly there were prettier faces out there—Miss Pakistan was prettier. She is still on track of making the final cut but with the quality of this year’s batch, nothing is for certain though we do need to salute her for being a top-notch contender.
ITALY – Luna Isabella Voce. She may not be as slickly polished as other ladies, and her evening gown catwalk was just a tad too simple amidst the luminous standouts out there, but she turned out on the road to becoming one of the possible usurpers to Sandra Seifert’s assumed path to victory. She has a passing resemblance to the official Miss Universe 2002 from Panama, Justine Pasek, crossed with movie star Eva Mendes, and her communication skills were way stronger than most representatives sent by her country to this pageant—and she was savvy enough to convey relevant points in her speeches, as she referred to the calamities of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng (internationally known as Ketsana and Parma respectively) in her environmental messages. An Italian breakthrough seems to be almost assured this time.
KENYA – Catherine Muturi. What I remembered most about her was her white costume with feathered headdress as it was memorably un-Kenyan-looking and more Native American—in fact I thought it resembled a Walmart/Target/K-Mart version of Cher’s famous “Half-Breed” costume. She was an attractive contender, but I don’t really foresee her making serious inroads into the finals.
KOREA – Yeju Park. I’ve seen prettier Korean contestants, but she possessed several standout edges that she would probably end up being more successful than those Korean beauty queens who were renowned for simply being pretty. First, of course, was her chic bob. Then, there was her savvy and sophisticated catwalk style, and the willingness to be daring unlike your typical conservative Korean girl—just as exhibited in the Evening Gown Competition finals. Finally, she was also a stronger communicator with a stronger command of English than your typical Korean contestant.
LEBANON – Nicole Lichaa Khoury. Let’s just diplomatically say she made me flashback to five years ago, of a girl representing a country that won a special award this year and had fielded much improved and way more successful delegates since then. Her best strategy was clearly to simply enjoy her stay to the fullest.
LUXEMBOURG – Theodora Banica. At first glance her pale features in contrast to her dark tresses were viewed as a jarring combination by several pageant fans and pundits. But she turned out to actually be more attractive than expected, though not in serious contention for the finals.
MALAYSIA – Madeline Nandu. She was definitely the strongest representative ever fielded by this country to this pageant, as she has a nice pretty face, a trim figure, a polished stage presence, and strong communication skills. She was worthily shortlisted into the Swimsuit Competition finals in her group. I have a feeling that she would need to battle out a Top 18 slot with Mz. India and Korea, and it would not be totally surprising if she ended up edging them out.
NETHERLANDS – Sabrina Anijs. During her speeches during the Press Presentation and National Costume Competition, she expressed passion for the cause as her speeches were like urgent calls to take action. Her exotic Dutch/Asian features were likewise very striking, she possessed a lovely trim figure that she showcased with aplomb in her risqué national costume, and she had solid stage skills. It’s not surprising if she would end up bringing forth a long-awaited Dutch breakthrough, but then again, she has so many other Europeans to contend with.
NEW ZEALAND – Catherine Irving. She’s simply too plain and raw to be in serious contention for the finals. We have seen much better contenders fielded by this country before.
PANAMA – Geraldine Higuera. I found her features a tad too angular and exotic, though I do need to give her credit for having a trim figure, polished presence, and solid stage chops—she was grandiosely impressive in her Incan beaded costume during the National Costume Competition.
PHILIPPINES – Sandra Inez Seifert. Ever since the back-to-back Venezuelan victory at Miss Universe this year, pageant pundits have been buzzing there might be a similar scenario at this year’s pageant, with Karla Henry crowning her own countrywoman as her successor. But unlike the polarizing-to-negative reaction several pundits had towards Stefania Fernandez, they would actually welcome this lady’s victory. She did deliver the goods, and was competing at an expectedly stratified level; so far her performances would indicate that the forecast would be fulfilled, as she ended winning two very important looks-oriented special awards, Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown. Then, the hubbub over the release of unflattering photos of the crucial pre-judging round (where all delegates were mandated to appear sans makeup) made me recall Stefania’s recent visit to Indonesia, where there was a similar flap about one of her appearances sans makeup (she belatedly taped a video addressing that issue recently). And of course, this year’s pageant would be held in an island resort in Boracay, like the way Miss Universe held it this year at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.
Now, I personally wouldn’t mind that scenario, but I have a hunch that victory would not be that assured. I would probably guarantee that Sandra would be assured of an element—it’s just a matter of which one. But to win it all? There were so many awesome ones out there who could conceivably pull off an upset. And there were precedents that just simply because one currently had the edge over the rest, that she could win it all. I could recall 2006 when it was perceived (including myself) that Marianne Puglia got what it took to win it all and make it back-to-back for Venezuela—she ended up as Miss Earth-Fire, instead. Then, a year later, her countrywoman, Silvana Santaella won both the swimsuit and evening gown special awards, but she was Miss Earth-Water, not the overall winner. In other words, it is indeed very conceivable Sandra would deservingly win it all, but prospects of that scenario are not as certain as perceived.
One final note about the sans-makeup hoopla: remember that she was also subjected to the same process during the local search for Miss Philippines-Earth, and of course she ended up winning it all (and there were some lovely exotic lookers in her batch). So I wouldn’t think the prejudging panel would dock her significant points (if any) for her sans-makeup appearance.
RUSSIA – Ksenia Podsevatkina. This third latecomer exuded an Eastern European supermodel vibe, like Melania Knauss before she met the Donald and became the 3rd Mrs. Trump. I’m not certain if the prejudging panel would appreciate such features, though her making the final cut is indeed a conceivable possibility.
SERBIA – Dijana Milojkovic. She was a solid and polished contender but I found her facial features a tad too angular for my tastes—but then again, typical Slavs (including Serbs) shared such features. Would’ve probably made more serious inroads in a less competitive batch.
SLOVAK REPUBLIC – Lea Sindlerova. Facewise, she was among the prettiest, and I originally believed she could conceivably join her Czech colleague into the finals. But then I examined her figure a little more closely and her stage presentations, and I thought her belly was a tad too concave for comfort, though she remained on the trim side (unlike, say, this year’s Miss Lebanon). Still, I should give her credit for being among the stronger Slovaks fielded in this pageant.
SOUTH SUDAN – Mary Aheu Deng Kudum. Of course what everyone noticed about her was her height of 6’5”. Pre-arrival photos made her seem that she resembled supermodel Iman, though it turned out she didn’t really possess that supermodel’s bearing and sophistication. Still, she’s the second strongest African in this year’s batch, so if they decided to implement a continental representation for this year’s Top 18, she could conceivably take the 2nd African slot.
SWEDEN – Giulia Simone Olsson. Some fans might appreciate her unvarnished girl-next-door features, but to my eyes, she was simply plain and unpolished and definitely not in serious contention for the finals.
TURKEY – Gözde Zay. She did have a slender frame of a supermodel, and she was well known for her bangs, but she unfortunately was guilty of being unable to capitalize on her strengths to best effect. For instance, during the Group 2 Evening Gown competition, she sported a simple peach gown that was impeccably designed—unfortunately she walked like an anorexic hunchback in it, and hence could not make any kind of great impression.
TURKS & CAICOS – Alison Capron. Let me repeat my sentiments from my Cocoa Babes and Crème Confetions article: this lady was simply the best representative from this country since Miss Universe 1987 semifinalist, Carmelita Ariza. She is a complete package of beauty, brains, and gab. She may not have the sleek wardrobe of her rivals, but she knew how to make the most of what she had.
U S A – Amy Diaz. She is arguably the best representative from this country since Miss Earth 2005 finalist (and eventual legendary Survivor contestant) Amanda Kimmel. And Amy has some crucial edges over Amanda, like polished communication skills and competitive drive. She was such a stratified complete package that my Miss Venezuela-loving friend made a bold prediction—he actually foresaw her winning Miss Earth in lieu of Sandra. He had made several pronouncements that actually came true. Do we have another possible usurper in our midst? I’m inclined to agree with him on this one
WALES – Dominique Dyer. Well, she’s a pretty and a worthwhile contestant with an inconsistent sparkle that I don’t really foresee her landing in the finals.
Now that Group 2 is all accounted for, let us see how my leaderboard adds up including Group 1 and 2:
TOP CONTENDERS: PHILIPPINES, SPAIN, VENEZUELA
POSSIBLE USURPERS: ITALY, U S A
LIKELIEST: CANADA, COLOMBIA, CUBA, CZECH REPUBLIC, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, GEORGIA, HUNGARY, INDIA, ITALY, JAMAICA, KOREA, LATVIA, MALAYSIA, MARTINIQUE, NETHERLANDS, POLAND, RUSSIA, SOUTH SUDAN, TURKS & CAICOS, UKRAINE
EXCELLENT: BAHAMAS, PAKISTAN, SERBIA, SLOVAK REPUBLIC, WALES
INTELLIGENCE FACTOR: INDONESIA
VERY STRONG: ARGENTINA, COSTA RICA, ECUADOR, GABON, GUADELOUPE, JAPAN, KENYA, PANAMA
STRONG: ALBANIA, AUSTRALIA, DENMARK, ENGLAND, GHANA, ISRAEL, SOUTH AFRICA, TONGA
VERY GOOD: BELGIUM, HONG KONG, LUXEMBOURG, NEW ZEALAND, SWEDEN, TURKEY
Cumpleaños de Lestat..........................Muchas Felicidades -- Jetsetter, 12:02:41 11/20/09 Fri(dsl-201-123-0-195-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/201.123.0.195)
Si no mal recuerdo hoy es cumpleaños de el gran LESTAT.......toda una personalidad y activo colaborador de este foro........Mis mejores deseos y un fuerte abrazo......Es un gran amigo y una gran persona.........FELICIDADES !!!!!!!
yo no he dicho nada Al ni bueno ni malo -- consteee, 17:02:01 11/20/09 Fri (dsl-189-188-241-129-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/189.188.241.129)
Miss Colombia: Fotos sin Photoshop antes de ir al Miss Colombia (abril o mayo de este año) -- Ojo, 23:44:51 11/20/09 Fri (130.70.118.70.cfl.res.rr.com/70.118.70.130)
. -- Gerardo (Mty), 00:06:09 11/21/09 Sat (evdomip-22-136.iusacell.net/189.201.22.136)
WOW!!! COLOMBIA GANARA MISS UNIVERSO 2010!!! Que bella Natalia y es bien inteligente, ya era hora que Colombia tuviese su 2º Miss Universo, ellos si trabajan a la mayoria de sus misses para que ganen y me gustaria ver a esta bellisima colombiana de Miss Universo, les deben la 2º corona desde hace mucho tiempo. (NT) -- KOKO, 12:14:26 11/21/09 Sat (NoHost/66.201.170.62)
MISS WORLD 2009 ! -- gpc, 22:58:10 11/21/09 Sat (121.96.245.250.bti.net.ph/121.96.245.250)
Ay! Santo, Up & Down, no entendí ni gota de lo que intentaste decirme!!?? -- Paparazzi - Si no saben controlarla, no las usen!!!!, 19:06:24 11/21/09 Sat (dsl-187-152-183-254-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/187.152.183.254)
a poco FAN? no ps retiro lo dicho es que me trauma esa bocota abiertota parece que te va a morder -- oK lo que el FAN diga jeje.. aunque digan que no tengo neuronas FAN . te creo que brillaba la Mpule, 17:10:12 11/20/09 Fri (dsl-189-188-241-129-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/189.188.241.129)
Qué mujer... Qué piernas! Desde Amelia Vega qué no me gustaba una MU así.. Felicidades! (NT) -- Gerardo (Mty), 23:07:08 11/19/09 Thu (evdomip-4-45.iusacell.net/189.201.4.45)
AY POR FAVOR!! ÓSEA COMO SI ESO FUEA UNA NOVEDAD, O ACASO CREEN QUE LOS 3 O 4 AMIGUITOS QUE VINIERON AL DISTRITO FEDERAL, LA VEZ QUELLA EN QUE FUE EL MISS UNIVERSE, NO TUVIERON "NADA QUE VER"?? -- PODEROSO. DIRÍA SUS NOMBRES PERO ELLOS BIEN SABEN QUIENES SON, LA PISTA ES QUE VIVEN O VÍVIAN EN JALISCO. "YA DIJE MUCHOO" SAYONARA, 00:04:30 11/18/09 Wed (NoHost/189.195.66.199)
No he visto por ningún lado a Stefania ultimamente, no serà que esta chica se la comió???? ja, ja, ja,jaaaaaaaa -- Lestat, 13:41:42 11/20/09 Fri (dsl-189-182-159-17-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx/189.182.159.17)
