Joseph Vitug's Review of Miss Earth Contestants (Part 2 and Conclusion) -- Miss Cayman Islands

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Date Posted: 17:44:23 11/10/07 Sat
Author: ME Fan
Subject: Joseph Vitug's Review of Miss Earth Contestants (Part 2 and Conclusion)

Here’s Joseph’s Review of this year’s Miss Earth candidates from EUROPE, THE AMERICAS, CARRIBEAN and OCEANIA
(a continuation from previously posted review of the African and Asian delegates)

While the first Miss Earth came from Western Europe, it was Eastern Europe that kept the fire going for this continent. I will subdivide this continent into two sub-regions: Eastern and Western Europe.

EASTERN EUROPE

This region, as usual, fielded some top-notch contenders with serious inroads into the Top 16. Let’s look at them, shall we?

ALBANIA - Shpresa Vitia. This statuesque lady made a major impression whenever she introduces herself with an environmental message in confident English, and she has a strong balance of good looks and stage presence to go with that. She could be a worthy sleeper surprise for the finals. By the way, she’s also an émigré as she’s actually based in England.

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA – Dzenita Dumpor. This country is likely to make it three semifinalists in a row as they fielded this drop-dead pretty brunette ingénue, in contrast to the two vamps who also made the cut in the past two years. In my opinion, she possesses the prettiest face in this year’s pageant, so it’s likely she’ll score high with the preliminary judges in the face department. She may have appeared too voluptuous in her evening gown, but I feel she looks trim enough not to be penalized too much there. Much remains to be seen regarding interview, as this is typically the weak spot of her two predecessors (judging from their public introductions), but they managed to make it anyway. She is an okay communicator compared to her predecessors, so it’s likely she’ll also get away with it. Carousel Productions clearly has forgiven this country for sending Dzejla Glavovic.

CZECH REPUBLIC - Eva Ceresnakova. During the earlier parts of the competition, this redhead seemed to be among the front-runners who will likely secure a spot in the Top 16, repeating the feat of her predecessor. But as the days wore on, she just seemed to lose a little steam—she’s still competing at a high level, but she has been overshadowed by a whole bunch of charmers out there.

GEORGIA - Nanka Mamasakhlisi. She has the alluring vamp features that created a major impression whenever she appears. In fact she has the “Bosnian vamp” factor (a term I invented to describe how the preliminary judging panel tend to include a brunette beauty with vampish features, which was typical of the two Bosnians who made the finals in the past couple of years), and could be the substitute to that archetype since t this year Bosnia fielded a gorgeous raven-tressed ingénue instead.

LATVIA – Ilze Jankovska. This blonde is not conventionally pretty, but this budding photographer has a distinctive sense of style (especially with the berets she has been sporting on most casual occasions) and generates the most fascinating photographs—just check out those photos taken by the Digiprint group of photographers. She also could work the stage with skill and aplomb. But wonder if her features are to the pre-judging panel’s taste?

LITHUANIA – Monika Baliunaite. I call her “Miss Natural Country Girl” as she seems to be very much a naturally fresh-faced raw ingénue. Her most distinctive feature is her long, long hair, that she never cut since she was a child. I have already previously mentioned in my review of the Talent Competition that she’s the front-runner with her belly-dance/gymnastics/hula-hoop routine.

POLAND – Barbara Tatara. At first glance during the press presentation, I was wondering if this country is encountering a fallow period after a four-year streak of top-notch contenders. But her stock has risen considerably since then and this lady is realizing her Catherine Zeta-Jones potential. Her shortlist in the swimsuit round amidst heavy competition within the much buzzed-about Group 2 (a.k.a. Team Vietnam) could only bolster her prospects.

ROMANIA – Alina Gheorghe. This woman is all sex appeal—she strikes a Gypsy-like sensual spell whenever she appears. Her previous victory in an international bikini competition only bolsters her cause as a serious contender.

SLOVAKIA – Barbara Palovicova. This is another contender whose stock has risen considerably as the pageant wore on—her refreshing blonde features, slim figure, and striking stage presence puts her on the inside track to the finals.

SLOVENIA – Tanja Trobec. Well, I’m glad to see this country back in this pageant again after an absence of four years. Her features don’t seem to be like a typical Slovenian (there are some features that make her look Asian), and amidst the embarrassment of riches from this region, she also seems the relatively weakest link.

UKRAINE – Galyna Andreeva. I have mentioned during my report of the press presentation that this lady has oodles of sparkle. And that sparkle has never diminished as the days wore on. I have also gotten to converse with her briefly, and I confirmed my hunch that she does possess an intelligence that belies her perky cheerleader-type appearance. In my opinion, she might even become the one who can win it all. Wonder if my hunch is right…

WESTERN EUROPE

This region actually has seen drastic improvement in quality after an uneven field over the past few years. There are indeed serious contenders coming from this group.

BELGIUM – Melissa Cardaci. Well, she might be an exception to my statement about the Western European girls in general as she tended to be raw and unpolished in her appearances, but to her credit she is attractive.

DENMARK – Trine Lundgard. She looks way different now than the way she looked at her pre-Manila photo—she was a natural blonde, but she decided to go for a darker shade when she came here and she’s now a redhead. Her main assets are strong communication skills, a trim figure, and strong stage presence. She may not be as pretty as say, Mz. Iceland or Sweden, but she’s the one among the Scandinavians who has the competitive fire and edge. Definitely in serious contention.

ENGLAND – Clair Cooper. This lady possesses a pretty, English-rose kind of face with a lean figure and a sassy persona. There are pundits who see her as a major favorite. I see her as an excellent contender who is indeed a finals possibility.

FINLAND – Anna Pohtimo. Much has been gossiped about her attitude and allegations that she was disqualified. Let’s ignore those controversies for the meantime and just examine her qualities for what they were—she is a very attractive contender, and has potential to actually have an inside track, but inconsistent performances made it difficult for her to edge out some stunners out there. I do like the way she exudes a 1960s persona with her Cleopatra vamp makeup.

FRANCE – Alexandra Gaugan. She is nice and attractive, but unlikely to equal the feat of Anne-Charlotte Triplet last year.

GERMANY - Sinem Ramazanoglu. This lady of Turkish descent is a solid competitor who would’ve made more serious inroads in another year, as she does have a good balance of looks, figure, and communication skills. But this is an extremely competitive year and she is facing an uphill battle against other contenders out there.

ICELAND - Katrín Dögg Sigurdardóttir. Sometimes you can sparkle simply by being fresh and all-natural. This is the case with this fresh-faced statuesque blonde, who cuts an extremely striking presence even if she doesn’t strut as sassily as say, an Eastern European girl or Miss England. I even thought that she might pull off a Catharina Svensson type of upset victory, but judging from her natural but not-so-confident communication skills so far, I shouldn’t speculate as far as that for now. But who knows when she gets chosen for the Top 16, how far she can go?

ITALY – Bernadette Mazzu. Like Miss Finland, this lady evokes a retro vibe with her looks, and she’s undeniably attractive. But though her presence seems to be constantly felt throughout the pageant, and she appears in so many photos, I doubt if any pundit would put her in serious contention for the finals.

NETHERLANDS – Milou Verhoeks. This lady could be a sleeper surprise for the finals, as photos show her as a deadringer to supermodel/actress Rebecca Romijn. Little did we know that she’s not as tall as we expect from Dutchwomen as of late, so we could actually dub her as Rebecca Romijn’s “Mini-Me”. Still, she possesses oddles of natural beauty and charm, and is someone who no-one should underestimate (even as she doesn’t really care if she makes the final cut or not—she’s fine whatever the outcome might be). A sentimental favorite of mine.

NORTHERN IRELAND – Aine Gormley. Take note—her first name sounds exactly like the famous new-age musician Enya. She does have a key disadvantage if she’s sporting a bikini as her figure seems unflattering with unusual proportions, but she does make it up with strong communication skills. Fully clothed, she knows how to camouflage her figure effectively to create the illusion of being as buffed and trim and well-proportioned as the front-runners out there.

NORWAY – Margaret Hauge. She is a pretty half-Filipina half-Norwegian lady. But she faces an uphill battle against fellow Scandinavians from Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. She could’ve been a more serious contender in another year.

SPAIN – Angela Gomez Duran. Her key features are her dramatic eyes, but everything about her face is also lovely. I find her figure a tad too voluptuous, but her status as a serious contender remains intact. With the exception of 2001, whenever Spain participates in this pageant it was always the case that this country will make the final cut. That scenario seems to be likely with this worthy and gorgeous contender.

SWEDEN – Ivana Gagula. Yes, she is undeniably gorgeous and she does have a trim figure with washboard abs. But, with the exception of the evening gown competition, her presence was of low wattage and her communications skills show a lack of confidence. Will the judges score her highly enough in the looks department to make up for what she lacks in the personality department? It is possible…

SWITZERLAND - Stephanie Gossweiler. This lady with the blunt brunette bob hairdo is the best representative ever sent by this country. She may be slightly inconsistent in her appearances, but her attractiveness cannot be denied. One of my favorite possible sleeper surprises.

WALES - Sarah Michelle Sairandhri Fleming. This lady clearly has one of the prettiest faces, but she does have a major liability with her too-voluptuous figure and raw stage presence. But, it is known that the pre-judging criteria puts a strong weight on facial beauty, so she is likely to perform respectably overall.

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA WITH THE CARIBBEAN

With the US and Canada, one thing you can guarantee of late is that they field polished contenders with superb communication skills. Mexico and Central America this year fielded buffed, lovely ladies with oodles of sex appeal, and the Caribbean has a mix of well-spoken polished ladies and a stunner who resembles an extremely popular artist who just recently performed a concert here. Like the way I subdivided Europe, I will subdivide this continent into two regions: North & Central America, and the Caribbean.

NORTH and CENTRAL AMERICA

BELIZE - Leilah Ann Magdalena Pandy. No doubt this lady is a very polished competitor with a lean and buffed figure and attractive features to boot. But are her features attractive enough to pass muster with the pre-judging panel? Much remains to be seen about that. Again, this lady had the disadvantage of being part of an extremely competitive group—remember at Miss Universe 2004 she had the misfortune of taking part in what turns out to be a “beauty pageant all-stars” edition?

CANADA – Jessica Trisko. Canada is again represented by a Filipino—and this one is an attractive competitor (think Sheila Alonzo) with the typical strong Canadian communication skills. Also generally polished in her stage presentations.

COSTA RICA – Natalia Salas. Pageant fans and pundits, along with red-blooded ordinary heterosexual men, raved about her very pretty Mestiza features and fair complexion. She may not garner as much buzz as many favored ladies out there, but again this is one who should not be underestimated as she also seems to possess a great balance of looks, figure, and personality.

EL SALVADOR – Julia Iris Ayala Rostro. She may not be as pretty as, say, Miss Costa Rica or Guatemala, but she’s highly attractive with solid stage presence and a lean and trim figure. Could’ve been a more serious contender in other years

GUATEMALA – Jennifer Scheel. This lady is a highly attractive and polished communicator with a bootyliciously voluptuous figure. Her only disadvantage is her lack of height.

MEXICO - María Fernanda Canovas Leal. This deadringer to Miss Universe 1991 (and now Nuestra Belleza de Mexico director) Lupita Jones is the best representative Mexico has ever sent to this pageant. Many of her fellow colleagues want her to make the final cut. I think she might be able to make it…

NICARAGUA – Iva Grijalva. Her prospects for making the final cut hedges on how the pre-judging panel gravitate towards her resemblance to a key officer of Carousel Productions (a former beauty queen and movie actress herself). To her credit, she has a trim figure and is a solid competitor to boot.

U S A – Lisa Marie Forbes. Her photos may make her appear a tad too mature, but no one can deny her competitive drive, her trim figure, her superb communication skills, and her commitment to environmental causes. Like the way the Venezuelan franchisee benefits from having former Miss Venezuela contestants compete in their pageant, the American franchisee benefits from getting former Miss USA contenders to compete. It is likely this lady will make it three in a row for this country, as she is indeed competing at a stratified level.

THE CARRIBEAN

BAHAMAS – Sharon Rolle. Yes, she may not be conventionally pretty, but she has one major edge over all the other contestants—she is actually one hell of a stage dynamo. She knows how to create drama onstage that could make one overlook whatever quibbles s/he may have with her looks. In Miss Universe, she could even be a serious contender for the finals. In Miss Earth, well, the pre-judging session does not factor in stage presence that much, but still I suppose she will score high in the charm and personality department, and maybe in the figure department, too.

CUBA – Ariana Barouk. This sweet and charming émigré has her stock rise up from her just aight performance in the press presentation. A couple of major highlights include her blindingly blinged out evening gown and her extremely lively national costume performance featuring booty-shaking with maracas (yes, for 1940s movie fans out there, think Carmen Miranda but without a basket of fruit). She turned from a solid contender to one who might make serious inroads into the finals.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – Themys Febriel. Imagine Miss Earth-Air 2005 Amell Santana, with about 75-80% of her gorgeousness, but substitute her timid personality with a lively, vibrant, and outgoing one, and you get this statuesque Mulatta. I think she is a serious contender for the Top 16, but it’s a cutthroat group out there so her placement is not that certain. But I just love her personality anyway that I wish her all the best.

GUADELOUPE – Virginie Mulia. Her main assets are her attractive face and tightly trim figure.

MARTINIQUE – Elodie Delor. If we judge the Caribbean group based on looks alone, this utterly striking and statuesque Mulatta lady would be the front-runner. To my eyes, she’s a dead ringer to Beyonce, but she told me that she rarely gets that comparison, and she’s often told she resembles Jennifer Lopez. She is the lady most likely to enter the finals from the Caribbean group.

ST. LUCIA – Oneka McCoy. Prior to the arrival of Miss Martinique, this lady is the prettiest one of the Caribbean group. She is a solid contender, but again, as I note, she is overshadowed by Miss Martinique and it is an uphill battle for her to duplicate her predecessor’s breakthrough semifinal showing.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - Carleen Ramlochansingh. This lady is a great looking and worthwhile contender but in an extremely competitive group, she is facing an uphill battle gaining an edge over her competitors. Still, her looks, figure, and charming personality could never be underestimated. Her highlight is her presentation of her grandiose orange Carnival costume during the National Costume competition—truly a visual delight.

TURKS & CAICOS - Tameka Teshan Deveaux. Like Miss Bahamas, what she lacks in looks she more than makes up for it with charm and personality and supreme stage chops. I enjoyed her extremely lively presentation of her national costume—it was a nice white sundress with a beach setting emblazoned on her skirt.

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS - JeT’aime Cheree Cerge. I had a wonderful blast chatting with this charmer during the welcome party for the Miss Earth delegates—we talked a bunch of topics like America’s Next Top Model, her experience at Miss Universe, and a whole lot more. Her features (a cross between singer Neneh Cherry and actress Rosie Perez) may not be to everyone’s taste, but her trim figure (one of the 15 swimsuit finalists), lively stage presence, strong communication skills and intelligence could make her the Caribbean lady most likely besides Miss Martinique.

OCEANIA

This continent features four ladies, two big countries and two tiny ones. It can also be described as composed of two contenders for the finals and two others whose best strategy is to enjoy their experience. Let’s start with…

AUSTRALIA – Victoria Stewart. There are several pageant fans and pundits who think this blonde’s features are very refreshing and rated her as a likely finalist. Well, I do agree she is performing at a highly competitive level, but I felt that there is another lady who has a stronger edge over her.

FIJI – Minal Ali. This attractive lady of Indian descent has one major handicap—her less-than-buffed figure. Otherwise, she’s generally a polished enough competitor.

NEW ZEALAND – Claire Kirby. Only a few people buzzed about her, but I think she’s actually a more serious contender than most pundits think, and she could pull off a sleeper surprise. This brunette has a pretty “Bosnian vamp” crossed with an “English rose” look that could win over the prejudging panel, and she has a lean-and-trim-and-healthy figure, excellent communication skills, polished stage presence, and a documented commitment to the environment. There is a side of me that wishes she pulls off an upset and make the final cut and beyond.

NIUE ISLAND - Shevalyn Ligovai Poimafiti Maik. Arguably if there is anyone who would deserve to be labeled the most improved contestant during the three-week period, it’s this lady. She started off very, very raw during the press presentation, barely even able to introduce herself. Then, she started showing confidence in her later appearances and was able to string words together to speak simply and coherently. Sure, her figure never really changed, but it’s refreshing to see a “real” woman’s curves, right? Even if its purpose is to make every other contestant’s figure look super-buff. Her strongest highlight was during the National Costume competition where she sported an orange printed dress with a thigh-high slit.

SOUTH AMERICA

I featured this continent as the last one simply for alphabetical purposes, but this continent also features three of the biggest contenders for the crown (so it’s also likely that they’ll garner the elements) and several worthy semifinalist possibilities. Let’s start with…

ARGENTINA - Antonella Tognolia Sanvitale. Well, she does have features where she resembles singer Kylie Minogue, but in general she is the relatively weakest link among this group of striking delegates. Relatively short and not as polished as her fellow South American colleagues.

BOLIVIA - Carla Loreto Fuentes Rivero. There are a lot of angles where this lady looks gorgeous, but there are others where she’s a tad too exotic for comfort. Still she has an undeniably buffed figure and strong communication skills.

BRAZIL – Patricia Andrade. This dead-ringer to Miss Earth 2004 Priscila Meirelles (albeit in a statuesque, slimmer version) is poised to bring Brazil back to the semifinals after a two-year absence. She is the most photographed delegate of them all, and with good reason—her gorgeousness is undeniable, and she knows how to evoke arresting moods and poses in front of a camera. She is definitely outgoing especially with pageant fans, and she does possess oodles of charm—perhaps to the resentment of others. She is consistently sparkling whenever she appears. She is indeed on track in getting an element, but to duplicate Priscila’s feat would be a challenge.

COLOMBIA - Mileth Johana Agamez Lopez. Her facial features have an appealingly exotic look that many pundits put her as a serious contender. I agree with that, but I wonder how those features played out with the pre-judging panel as sans makeup I found her looking rather ordinary. Well, she does have one major standout quality going for her—her body for sin and strong stage chops. She deserves to be shortlisted for the swimsuit competition with that hot body of hers and she gave one of the best National Costume presentations even when clad in a simple full-body poncho featuring a painting depicting a beach.

ECUADOR – Veronica Ochoa. This blonde is an underrated contender. She is very pretty with a great figure, is a likeable personality with strong communication skills, plus has an actual professional-worthy talent with her singing. One possible sleeper surprise.

PARAGUAY – Montserrat Quevedo. Her angular facial features may not be to everyone’s liking, but no one can deny her body for sin. That body, along with an extremely polished stage presence, helps her become a more serious contender than she should’ve been.

PERU – Odilia Garcia. Here is another contender with an inside track for an element. In person, she consistently has sparkled, and her combination of awesome Asian-Latina features with a fit hourglass figure, statuesque height, and likeable personality could not be ignored.

SURINAME - Safyra Rachida Duurham. This otherwise polished contender has the challenge of putting up with the luminescent stunners out there that she barely makes the impact that she would’ve normally gotten. Still we have to respect her for her creditable performance.

VENEZUELA – Silvana Santaella. This lady exudes a patrician glamour whenever she appears, and is always competing at an extremely high level. Some wags might quibble about her “mature” features, but then again, she does exude the vibe of Paraguay’s Tania Dominiczky two years ago. Her consistently strong presence seems to almost assure her of an element, making it a possible three-year streak for this powerhouse.

Now that all ladies are accounted for, let’s trot out the leader board one last time:

TOP CONTENDERS: UKRAINE, BRAZIL, PERU, VENEZUELA

SHOO-IN: KOREA, PHILIPPINES, VIETNAM

LIKELIEST: SOUTH AFRICA, INDIA, THAILAND, BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, GEORGIA, POLAND, SLOVAKIA, ENGLAND, ICELAND, NETHERLANDS, SPAIN, SWEDEN, MEXICO, U S A, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, MARTINIQUE, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR

EXCELLENT: ETHIOPIA, KENYA, NIGERIA, SIERRA LEONE, TANZANIA, UGANDA, ZAMBIA, ZIMBABWE, INDONESIA, KAZAKHSTAN, TIBET, ALBANIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, ROMANIA, DENMARK, SWITZERLAND, BELIZE, CANADA, COSTA RICA, GUATEMALA, CUBA, ST. LUCIA, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, BOLIVIA

PERSONALITY FACTOR: BOTSWANA, GHANA, LIBERIA, LATVIA, LITHUANIA, BAHAMAS, TURKS & CAICOS

VERY STRONG: CAMEROON, CONGO, CHINA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, FINLAND, GERMANY, NORWAY, EL SALVADOR, NICARAGUA, GUADELOUPE, PARAGUAY, SURINAME

STRONG: LEBANON, MALAYSIA, TAIWAN, SLOVENIA, FRANCE, ITALY, NORTHERN IRELAND, WALES, ARGENTINA

VERY GOOD: MACAU, NEPAL, BELGIUM, FIJI

GOOD: SINGAPORE

FAIR: ISRAEL, NIUE ISLAND

So, how does my “fearful” forecast look? Here goes:

TOP FOUR: BRAZIL, PERU, UKRAINE, VENEZUELA (I personally like to see Korea and Nigeria here and remove Brazil and Venezuela)

TOP EIGHT: ICELAND, KOREA, PHILIPPINES, VIETNAM (I will replace Vietnam with Netherlands)

TOP 16: BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, INDIA, MARTINIQUE, MEXICO, NEW ZEALAND, SLOVAKIA, SOUTH AFRICA, U S A (I will add New Zealand, Sweden and Canada)

BUBBLING UNDER: AUSTRALIA, COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, ENGLAND, GEORGIA, NETHERLANDS, POLAND, SPAIN, SWEDEN, THAILAND, U S VIRGIN ISLANDS

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><a rel=nofollow target=_blank >href="http://imageshack.us"><img >src="http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/6079/hil09ef5.j >pg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by >ImageShack.us"/></a> > > >Here’s Joseph’s Review of this year’s Miss Earth >candidates from EUROPE, THE AMERICAS, CARRIBEAN and >OCEANIA >(a continuation from previously posted review of the >African and Asian delegates) > >While the first Miss Earth came from Western Europe, >it was Eastern Europe that kept the fire going for >this continent. I will subdivide this continent into >two sub-regions: Eastern and Western Europe. > > >EASTERN EUROPEsize /color /face> > >This region, as usual, fielded some top-notch >contenders with serious inroads into the Top 16. >Let’s look at them, shall we? > >ALBANIA - Shpresa Vitia. This statuesque lady made a >major impression whenever she introduces herself with >an environmental message in confident English, and she >has a strong balance of good looks and stage presence >to go with that. She could be a worthy sleeper >surprise for the finals. By the way, she’s also an >émigré as she’s actually based in England. > >BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA – Dzenita Dumpor. This country >is likely to make it three semifinalists in a row as >they fielded this drop-dead pretty brunette ingénue, >in contrast to the two vamps who also made the cut in >the past two years. In my opinion, she possesses the >prettiest face in this year’s pageant, so it’s likely >she’ll score high with the preliminary judges in the >face department. She may have appeared too voluptuous >in her evening gown, but I feel she looks trim enough >not to be penalized too much there. Much remains to >be seen regarding interview, as this is typically the >weak spot of her two predecessors (judging from their >public introductions), but they managed to make it >anyway. She is an okay communicator compared to her >predecessors, so it’s likely she’ll also get away with >it. Carousel Productions clearly has forgiven this >country for sending Dzejla Glavovic. > >CZECH REPUBLIC - Eva Ceresnakova. During the earlier >parts of the competition, this redhead seemed to be >among the front-runners who will likely secure a spot >in the Top 16, repeating the feat of her predecessor. >But as the days wore on, she just seemed to lose a >little steam—she’s still competing at a high level, >but she has been overshadowed by a whole bunch of >charmers out there. > >GEORGIA - Nanka Mamasakhlisi. She has the alluring >vamp features that created a major impression whenever >she appears. In fact she has the “Bosnian vamp” >factor (a term I invented to describe how the >preliminary judging panel tend to include a brunette >beauty with vampish features, which was typical of the >two Bosnians who made the finals in the past couple of >years), and could be the substitute to that archetype >since t this year Bosnia fielded a gorgeous >raven-tressed ingénue instead. > >LATVIA – Ilze Jankovska. This blonde is not >conventionally pretty, but this budding photographer >has a distinctive sense of style (especially with the >berets she has been sporting on most casual occasions) >and generates the most fascinating photographs—just >check out those photos taken by the Digiprint group of >photographers. She also could work the stage with >skill and aplomb. But wonder if her features are to >the pre-judging panel’s taste? > >LITHUANIA – Monika Baliunaite. I call her “Miss >Natural Country Girl” as she seems to be very much a >naturally fresh-faced raw ingénue. Her most >distinctive feature is her long, long hair, that she >never cut since she was a child. I have already >previously mentioned in my review of the Talent >Competition that she’s the front-runner with her >belly-dance/gymnastics/hula-hoop routine. > >POLAND – Barbara Tatara. At first glance during the >press presentation, I was wondering if this country is >encountering a fallow period after a four-year streak >of top-notch contenders. But her stock has risen >considerably since then and this lady is realizing her >Catherine Zeta-Jones potential. Her shortlist in the >swimsuit round amidst heavy competition within the >much buzzed-about Group 2 (a.k.a. Team Vietnam) could >only bolster her prospects. > >ROMANIA – Alina Gheorghe. This woman is all sex >appeal—she strikes a Gypsy-like sensual spell whenever >she appears. Her previous victory in an international >bikini competition only bolsters her cause as a >serious contender. > >SLOVAKIA – Barbara Palovicova. This is another >contender whose stock has risen considerably as the >pageant wore on—her refreshing blonde features, slim >figure, and striking stage presence puts her on the >inside track to the finals. > >SLOVENIA – Tanja Trobec. Well, I’m glad to see this >country back in this pageant again after an absence of >four years. Her features don’t seem to be like a >typical Slovenian (there are some features that make >her look Asian), and amidst the embarrassment of >riches from this region, she also seems the relatively >weakest link. > >UKRAINE – Galyna Andreeva. I have mentioned during my >report of the press presentation that this lady has >oodles of sparkle. And that sparkle has never >diminished as the days wore on. I have also gotten to >converse with her briefly, and I confirmed my hunch >that she does possess an intelligence that belies her >perky cheerleader-type appearance. In my opinion, she >might even become the one who can win it all. Wonder >if my hunch is right… > > >WESTERN EUROPEsize /color /face> > >This region actually has seen drastic improvement in >quality after an uneven field over the past few years. > There are indeed serious contenders coming from this >group. > >BELGIUM – Melissa Cardaci. Well, she might be an >exception to my statement about the Western European >girls in general as she tended to be raw and >unpolished in her appearances, but to her credit she >is attractive. > >DENMARK – Trine Lundgard. She looks way different now >than the way she looked at her pre-Manila photo—she >was a natural blonde, but she decided to go for a >darker shade when she came here and she’s now a >redhead. Her main assets are strong communication >skills, a trim figure, and strong stage presence. She >may not be as pretty as say, Mz. Iceland or Sweden, >but she’s the one among the Scandinavians who has the >competitive fire and edge. Definitely in serious >contention. > >ENGLAND – Clair Cooper. This lady possesses a pretty, >English-rose kind of face with a lean figure and a >sassy persona. There are pundits who see her as a >major favorite. I see her as an excellent contender >who is indeed a finals possibility. > >FINLAND – Anna Pohtimo. Much has been gossiped about >her attitude and allegations that she was >disqualified. Let’s ignore those controversies for >the meantime and just examine her qualities for what >they were—she is a very attractive contender, and has >potential to actually have an inside track, but >inconsistent performances made it difficult for her to >edge out some stunners out there. I do like the way >she exudes a 1960s persona with her Cleopatra vamp >makeup. > >FRANCE – Alexandra Gaugan. She is nice and >attractive, but unlikely to equal the feat of >Anne-Charlotte Triplet last year. > >GERMANY - Sinem Ramazanoglu. This lady of Turkish >descent is a solid competitor who would’ve made more >serious inroads in another year, as she does have a >good balance of looks, figure, and communication >skills. But this is an extremely competitive year and >she is facing an uphill battle against other >contenders out there. > >ICELAND - Katrín Dögg Sigurdardóttir. Sometimes you >can sparkle simply by being fresh and all-natural. >This is the case with this fresh-faced statuesque >blonde, who cuts an extremely striking presence even >if she doesn’t strut as sassily as say, an Eastern >European girl or Miss England. I even thought that >she might pull off a Catharina Svensson type of upset >victory, but judging from her natural but >not-so-confident communication skills so far, I >shouldn’t speculate as far as that for now. But who >knows when she gets chosen for the Top 16, how far she >can go? > >ITALY – Bernadette Mazzu. Like Miss Finland, this >lady evokes a retro vibe with her looks, and she’s >undeniably attractive. But though her presence seems >to be constantly felt throughout the pageant, and she >appears in so many photos, I doubt if any pundit would >put her in serious contention for the finals. > >NETHERLANDS – Milou Verhoeks. This lady could be a >sleeper surprise for the finals, as photos show her as >a deadringer to supermodel/actress Rebecca Romijn. >Little did we know that she’s not as tall as we expect >from Dutchwomen as of late, so we could actually dub >her as Rebecca Romijn’s “Mini-Me”. Still, she >possesses oddles of natural beauty and charm, and is >someone who no-one should underestimate (even as she >doesn’t really care if she makes the final cut or >not—she’s fine whatever the outcome might be). A >sentimental favorite of mine. > >NORTHERN IRELAND – Aine Gormley. Take note—her first >name sounds exactly like the famous new-age musician >Enya. She does have a key disadvantage if she’s >sporting a bikini as her figure seems unflattering >with unusual proportions, but she does make it up with >strong communication skills. Fully clothed, she knows >how to camouflage her figure effectively to create the >illusion of being as buffed and trim and >well-proportioned as the front-runners out there. > >NORWAY – Margaret Hauge. She is a pretty >half-Filipina half-Norwegian lady. But she faces an >uphill battle against fellow Scandinavians from >Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. She could’ve been a >more serious contender in another year. > >SPAIN – Angela Gomez Duran. Her key features are her >dramatic eyes, but everything about her face is also >lovely. I find her figure a tad too voluptuous, but >her status as a serious contender remains intact. >With the exception of 2001, whenever Spain >participates in this pageant it was always the case >that this country will make the final cut. That >scenario seems to be likely with this worthy and >gorgeous contender. > >SWEDEN – Ivana Gagula. Yes, she is undeniably gorgeous >and she does have a trim figure with washboard abs. >But, with the exception of the evening gown >competition, her presence was of low wattage and her >communications skills show a lack of confidence. >Will the judges score her highly enough in the looks >department to make up for what she lacks in the >personality department? It is possible… > >SWITZERLAND - Stephanie Gossweiler. This lady with >the blunt brunette bob hairdo is the best >representative ever sent by this country. She may be >slightly inconsistent in her appearances, but her >attractiveness cannot be denied. One of my favorite >possible sleeper surprises. > >WALES - Sarah Michelle Sairandhri Fleming. This lady >clearly has one of the prettiest faces, but she does >have a major liability with her too-voluptuous figure >and raw stage presence. But, it is known that the >pre-judging criteria puts a strong weight on facial >beauty, so she is likely to perform respectably >overall. > > > >NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA WITH THE CARIBBEAN > >With the US and Canada, one thing you can guarantee of >late is that they field polished contenders with >superb communication skills. Mexico and Central >America this year fielded buffed, lovely ladies with >oodles of sex appeal, and the Caribbean has a mix of >well-spoken polished ladies and a stunner who >resembles an extremely popular artist who just >recently performed a concert here. Like the way I >subdivided Europe, I will subdivide this continent >into two regions: North & Central America, and the >Caribbean. > > >NORTH and CENTRAL >AMERICA > >BELIZE - Leilah Ann Magdalena Pandy. No doubt this >lady is a very polished competitor with a lean and >buffed figure and attractive features to boot. But >are her features attractive enough to pass muster with >the pre-judging panel? Much remains to be seen about >that. Again, this lady had the disadvantage of being >part of an extremely competitive group—remember at >Miss Universe 2004 she had the misfortune of taking >part in what turns out to be a “beauty pageant >all-stars” edition? > >CANADA – Jessica Trisko. Canada is again represented >by a Filipino—and this one is an attractive competitor >(think Sheila Alonzo) with the typical strong Canadian >communication skills. Also generally polished in her >stage presentations. > >COSTA RICA – Natalia Salas. Pageant fans and pundits, >along with red-blooded ordinary heterosexual men, >raved about her very pretty Mestiza features and fair >complexion. She may not garner as much buzz as many >favored ladies out there, but again this is one who >should not be underestimated as she also seems to >possess a great balance of looks, figure, and >personality. > >EL SALVADOR – Julia Iris Ayala Rostro. She may not be >as pretty as, say, Miss Costa Rica or Guatemala, but >she’s highly attractive with solid stage presence and >a lean and trim figure. Could’ve been a more serious >contender in other years > >GUATEMALA – Jennifer Scheel. This lady is a highly >attractive and polished communicator with a >bootyliciously voluptuous figure. Her only >disadvantage is her lack of height. > >MEXICO - María Fernanda Canovas Leal. This deadringer >to Miss Universe 1991 (and now Nuestra Belleza de >Mexico director) Lupita Jones is the best >representative Mexico has ever sent to this pageant. >Many of her fellow colleagues want her to make the >final cut. I think she might be able to make it… > >NICARAGUA – Iva Grijalva. Her prospects for making >the final cut hedges on how the pre-judging panel >gravitate towards her resemblance to a key officer of >Carousel Productions (a former beauty queen and movie >actress herself). To her credit, she has a trim >figure and is a solid competitor to boot. > >U S A – Lisa Marie Forbes. Her photos may make her >appear a tad too mature, but no one can deny her >competitive drive, her trim figure, her superb >communication skills, and her commitment to >environmental causes. Like the way the Venezuelan >franchisee benefits from having former Miss Venezuela >contestants compete in their pageant, the American >franchisee benefits from getting former Miss USA >contenders to compete. It is likely this lady will >make it three in a row for this country, as she is >indeed competing at a stratified level. > > >THE CARRIBEANsize /color /face> > >BAHAMAS – Sharon Rolle. Yes, she may not be >conventionally pretty, but she has one major edge over >all the other contestants—she is actually one hell of >a stage dynamo. She knows how to create drama onstage >that could make one overlook whatever quibbles s/he >may have with her looks. In Miss Universe, she could >even be a serious contender for the finals. In Miss >Earth, well, the pre-judging session does not factor >in stage presence that much, but still I suppose she >will score high in the charm and personality >department, and maybe in the figure department, too. > >CUBA – Ariana Barouk. This sweet and charming émigré >has her stock rise up from her just aight performance >in the press presentation. A couple of major >highlights include her blindingly blinged out evening >gown and her extremely lively national costume >performance featuring booty-shaking with maracas (yes, >for 1940s movie fans out there, think Carmen Miranda >but without a basket of fruit). She turned from a >solid contender to one who might make serious inroads >into the finals. > >DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – Themys Febriel. Imagine Miss >Earth-Air 2005 Amell Santana, with about 75-80% of her >gorgeousness, but substitute her timid personality >with a lively, vibrant, and outgoing one, and you get >this statuesque Mulatta. I think she is a serious >contender for the Top 16, but it’s a cutthroat group >out there so her placement is not that certain. But I >just love her personality anyway that I wish her all >the best. > >GUADELOUPE – Virginie Mulia. Her main assets are her >attractive face and tightly trim figure. > >MARTINIQUE – Elodie Delor. If we judge the Caribbean >group based on looks alone, this utterly striking and >statuesque Mulatta lady would be the front-runner. To >my eyes, she’s a dead ringer to Beyonce, but she told >me that she rarely gets that comparison, and she’s >often told she resembles Jennifer Lopez. She is the >lady most likely to enter the finals from the >Caribbean group. > >ST. LUCIA – Oneka McCoy. Prior to the arrival of Miss >Martinique, this lady is the prettiest one of the >Caribbean group. She is a solid contender, but again, >as I note, she is overshadowed by Miss Martinique and >it is an uphill battle for her to duplicate her >predecessor’s breakthrough semifinal showing. > >TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - Carleen Ramlochansingh. This lady >is a great looking and worthwhile contender but in an >extremely competitive group, she is facing an uphill >battle gaining an edge over her competitors. Still, >her looks, figure, and charming personality could >never be underestimated. Her highlight is her >presentation of her grandiose orange Carnival costume >during the National Costume competition—truly a visual >delight. > >TURKS & CAICOS - Tameka Teshan Deveaux. Like Miss >Bahamas, what she lacks in looks she more than makes >up for it with charm and personality and supreme stage >chops. I enjoyed her extremely lively presentation of >her national costume—it was a nice white sundress with >a beach setting emblazoned on her skirt. > >U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS - JeT’aime Cheree Cerge. I had a >wonderful blast chatting with this charmer during the >welcome party for the Miss Earth delegates—we talked a >bunch of topics like America’s Next Top Model, her >experience at Miss Universe, and a whole lot more. >Her features (a cross between singer Neneh Cherry and >actress Rosie Perez) may not be to everyone’s taste, >but her trim figure (one of the 15 swimsuit >finalists), lively stage presence, strong >communication skills and intelligence could make her >the Caribbean lady most likely besides Miss Martinique. > > >OCEANIA/color /face> > >This continent features four ladies, two big countries >and two tiny ones. It can also be described as >composed of two contenders for the finals and two >others whose best strategy is to enjoy their >experience. Let’s start with… > >AUSTRALIA – Victoria Stewart. There are several >pageant fans and pundits who think this blonde’s >features are very refreshing and rated her as a likely >finalist. Well, I do agree she is performing at a >highly competitive level, but I felt that there is >another lady who has a stronger edge over her. > >FIJI – Minal Ali. This attractive lady of Indian >descent has one major handicap—her less-than-buffed >figure. Otherwise, she’s generally a polished enough >competitor. > >NEW ZEALAND – Claire Kirby. Only a few people buzzed >about her, but I think she’s actually a more serious >contender than most pundits think, and she could pull >off a sleeper surprise. This brunette has a pretty >“Bosnian vamp” crossed with an “English rose” look >that could win over the prejudging panel, and she has >a lean-and-trim-and-healthy figure, excellent >communication skills, polished stage presence, and a >documented commitment to the environment. There is a >side of me that wishes she pulls off an upset and make >the final cut and beyond. > >NIUE ISLAND - Shevalyn Ligovai Poimafiti Maik. >Arguably if there is anyone who would deserve to be >labeled the most improved contestant during the >three-week period, it’s this lady. She started off >very, very raw during the press presentation, barely >even able to introduce herself. Then, she started >showing confidence in her later appearances and was >able to string words together to speak simply and >coherently. Sure, her figure never really changed, >but it’s refreshing to see a “real” woman’s curves, >right? Even if its purpose is to make every other >contestant’s figure look super-buff. Her strongest >highlight was during the National Costume competition >where she sported an orange printed dress with a >thigh-high slit. > > >SOUTH AMERICAsize /color /face> > >I featured this continent as the last one simply for >alphabetical purposes, but this continent also >features three of the biggest contenders for the crown >(so it’s also likely that they’ll garner the elements) >and several worthy semifinalist possibilities. Let’s >start with… > >ARGENTINA - Antonella Tognolia Sanvitale. Well, she >does have features where she resembles singer Kylie >Minogue, but in general she is the relatively weakest >link among this group of striking delegates. >Relatively short and not as polished as her fellow >South American colleagues. > >BOLIVIA - Carla Loreto Fuentes Rivero. There are a >lot of angles where this lady looks gorgeous, but >there are others where she’s a tad too exotic for >comfort. Still she has an undeniably buffed figure >and strong communication skills. > >BRAZIL – Patricia Andrade. This dead-ringer to Miss >Earth 2004 Priscila Meirelles (albeit in a statuesque, >slimmer version) is poised to bring Brazil back to the >semifinals after a two-year absence. She is the most >photographed delegate of them all, and with good >reason—her gorgeousness is undeniable, and she knows >how to evoke arresting moods and poses in front of a >camera. She is definitely outgoing especially with >pageant fans, and she does possess oodles of >charm—perhaps to the resentment of others. She is >consistently sparkling whenever she appears. She is >indeed on track in getting an element, but to >duplicate Priscila’s feat would be a challenge. > >COLOMBIA - Mileth Johana Agamez Lopez. Her facial >features have an appealingly exotic look that many >pundits put her as a serious contender. I agree with >that, but I wonder how those features played out with >the pre-judging panel as sans makeup I found her >looking rather ordinary. Well, she does have one >major standout quality going for her—her body for sin >and strong stage chops. She deserves to be >shortlisted for the swimsuit competition with that hot >body of hers and she gave one of the best National >Costume presentations even when clad in a simple >full-body poncho featuring a painting depicting a >beach. > >ECUADOR – Veronica Ochoa. This blonde is an >underrated contender. She is very pretty with a great >figure, is a likeable personality with strong >communication skills, plus has an actual >professional-worthy talent with her singing. One >possible sleeper surprise. > >PARAGUAY – Montserrat Quevedo. Her angular facial >features may not be to everyone’s liking, but no one >can deny her body for sin. That body, along with an >extremely polished stage presence, helps her become a >more serious contender than she should’ve been. > >PERU – Odilia Garcia. Here is another contender with >an inside track for an element. In person, she >consistently has sparkled, and her combination of >awesome Asian-Latina features with a fit hourglass >figure, statuesque height, and likeable personality >could not be ignored. > >SURINAME - Safyra Rachida Duurham. This otherwise >polished contender has the challenge of putting up >with the luminescent stunners out there that she >barely makes the impact that she would’ve normally >gotten. Still we have to respect her for her >creditable performance. > >VENEZUELA – Silvana Santaella. This lady exudes a >patrician glamour whenever she appears, and is always >competing at an extremely high level. Some wags might >quibble about her “mature” features, but then again, >she does exude the vibe of Paraguay’s Tania Dominiczky >two years ago. Her consistently strong presence seems >to almost assure her of an element, making it a >possible three-year streak for this powerhouse. > >Now that all ladies are accounted for, let’s trot out >the leader board one last time: > > >TOP CONTENDERS: UKRAINE, BRAZIL, PERU, VENEZUELA > >SHOO-IN: KOREA, PHILIPPINES, VIETNAM > >LIKELIEST: SOUTH AFRICA, INDIA, THAILAND, BOSNIA & >HERZEGOVINA, GEORGIA, POLAND, SLOVAKIA, ENGLAND, >ICELAND, NETHERLANDS, SPAIN, SWEDEN, MEXICO, U S A, >DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, MARTINIQUE, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, >AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR > >EXCELLENT: ETHIOPIA, KENYA, NIGERIA, SIERRA LEONE, >TANZANIA, UGANDA, ZAMBIA, ZIMBABWE, INDONESIA, >KAZAKHSTAN, TIBET, ALBANIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, ROMANIA, >DENMARK, SWITZERLAND, BELIZE, CANADA, COSTA RICA, >GUATEMALA, CUBA, ST. LUCIA, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, BOLIVIA > >PERSONALITY FACTOR: BOTSWANA, GHANA, LIBERIA, LATVIA, >LITHUANIA, BAHAMAS, TURKS & CAICOS > >VERY STRONG: CAMEROON, CONGO, CHINA, HONG KONG, >JAPAN, FINLAND, GERMANY, NORWAY, EL SALVADOR, >NICARAGUA, GUADELOUPE, PARAGUAY, SURINAME > >STRONG: LEBANON, MALAYSIA, TAIWAN, SLOVENIA, FRANCE, >ITALY, NORTHERN IRELAND, WALES, ARGENTINA > >VERY GOOD: MACAU, NEPAL, BELGIUM, FIJI > >GOOD: SINGAPORE > >FAIR: ISRAEL, NIUE ISLAND > > >So, how does my “fearful” forecast look? Here goes: > > > >TOP FOUR: BRAZIL, PERU, UKRAINE, VENEZUELA (I >personally like to see Korea and Nigeria here and >remove Brazil and Venezuela) > > > >TOP EIGHT: ICELAND, KOREA, PHILIPPINES, VIETNAM (I >will replace Vietnam with Netherlands) > > > >TOP 16: BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, INDIA, MARTINIQUE, >MEXICO, NEW ZEALAND, SLOVAKIA, SOUTH AFRICA, U S A (I >will add New Zealand, Sweden and Canada) > > > >BUBBLING UNDER: AUSTRALIA, COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN >REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, ENGLAND, GEORGIA, NETHERLANDS, >POLAND, SPAIN, SWEDEN, THAILAND, U S VIRGIN ISLANDS > >

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