Miss Universe 2009 Calendar of Events

The official website of Miss Universe Organization has announced the calendar of activities for the Miss Universe 2009 pageant to be held at the Atlantis in Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas. The said pageant is the 58th edition. The first edition was in 1952 and was won by Finland, Armi Kuusela.

For your reference, here's the calendar of events:

August 1 - 3 Arrivals and Registration

August 5 Location Filming, Visit to the Ardastra Gardens, Tour of Port Charlotte, Tour of Clifton Heritage Site and Sacred Space and Visit Arawak Cay (Fish Fry)

August 6 Visit the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, Courtesy Call on the Governor General and Tea Party at the Government House

August 7 Downtown Casual Shopping and Photo-ops, Display of Bahamian Arts and Crafts in Rawson Square

August 8 Exuma - Bimini Bay Resort, Tour of Moriah Harbour Cay and Elizabeth Harbour
Stocking Island and Visit to Fountain of Youth and Shark Lab

August 9 Grand Bahama, Tour of Garden of the Groves and photo-ops and Port Lucaya Marketplace

August 10 Motorcade through New Providence, National Costume Competition, Rainforest Theater, Wyndham Hotel

August 11 Harbour Island - Tour of island by golf cart, Beach and leisure activities at Coral Sands, Abaco, Treasure Cay, Green Turtle Cay

August 12 Kunkanoo Rush-out, West Bay Street, Beach Strip, Miss Universe 2009 Fashion Show with local designers

August 13 Delegates' National Gift Charity Auction

August 16 Miss Universe 2009 Presentation Show

August 17 - 18 Preliminary Interviews with the panel of judges

August 19 - 22 Rehearsals, National Director Meeting

August 23 Dress Rehearsal (noon), Live Telecast (Time TBA), Coronation Ball

August 24 Departures

Puahinano Bonno Wins Miss Tahiti 2009

Puahinano Bonno is the winner of Miss Tahiti 2009 in a pageant that was held last 26 June 2009 in Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia. She beat 11 other lovely ladies to have the right to represent Tahiti to the Miss France 2010 pageant.

You have read it right. Bonno is not going to any major international beauty pageants like Misses Universe, World, Earth or International. But her runner-up, Niuriki Teremate, (First Runner-Up) will go to the 9th edition of Miss Earth in Manila, Philippines in October.

Just a quick note to some readers who might not know this, Tahiti is a French territory. It is part of France that's why it has to be represented in Miss France pageant.

Bonno stands 1.78 meters. She is a student of Business Management.

Second Runner-Up was Mereani Meyrand.

Kaiane Aldorino Wins Miss Gibraltar 2009

Twenty-two year old Kaiane Aldorino was crowned Miss Gibraltar 2009 in a pageant that attracted 16 lovely ladies last Saturday, 27 June 2009, at the Alameda Open Air Theatre. She will represent her country at the Miss World 2009 pageants to be held in December in London and Johannesburg, South Africa.

The newly crowned beauty queen is a Human Resources Clerk by profession. She was crowned by Miss Gibraltar 2008, Krystle Robba.

First Princess or equivalent to First Runner-Up was Maxine dela Rosa. Second Princess went to Jordana Lavagna.

Says Kaiane, "I love the opportunity to be Miss Gibraltar and I am honoured to represent Gibraltar. I can’t believe it’s true but I am very happy. I just have no words. I am speechless."

Tyrene Navarro won the Gibraltar Chronicle Cup for best interview and she also won the cup for Miss Photogenic.

Miss Friendship voted for by all the contestants was won by contestant Elka Hanglin who followed in her sisters footsteps who also won this title in 1995.

The award of Miss Catwalk went to contestant Jair Azzopardi.

Diana Curmei, Miss Italia Nel Mondo 2009, on Moldovan-Romanian Brotherhood

I would like to treat you, our readers, with an interview of the current Miss Italia Nel Mondo, Diana Curmei who represented his father's home country of Moldova. The said interview was done by Hotnews.ro, a Romanian website.

It is interesting to know Diana's stand on the conflict going on between neighboring European countries of Romania and Moldova. Thanks to some beauty pageants which have been the flatforms of women in voicing out their political opinions on some issues.

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Diana Curmei, Miss Italia nel Mondo 2009: I represented the Republic of Moldova, but I consider Moldavians to be Romanian ass well. Practically, we're brothers

Miss Italia nel Mondo 2009, Moldovan Diana Curmei, declared after winning the competition that Moldavians are, in fact, Romanians and nobody should debate on the issue. After taking the baccalaureate in Chisinau, Diana intends to study at a Romanian University.

After a sleepless night caused by last night's nervousness, Miss Italia nel Mondo 2009, Diana Curmei, spoke briefly with HotNews.ro.

"When I heard my name and received the crown from the hands of Prince Emanuele Filiberto de Savoia, the jury's president, I was stunned. I could not believe, despite the fact that all of us three Romanian girls were among the favourites. I was proud for my people: I represented the Republic of Moldova, but I consider Moldavians to be Romanians, as well. We're practically brothers. There should not be any debate on the issue", she said.

Diana confessed she first called her parents, who followed her with holding their breath: "They're both very proud of me!"

Prince of Savoia was cheering up for her from the beginning

There were tens of thousands of Romanians and Moldavians watching the competition on Rai Uno. The voting of the audience was one main player in nominating the winner.

"I want to thank all who voted for me and supported me. I know that in Italy Romanians face prejudices, but I believe that me and Simona Lungu, who took the second podium, managed to erased at least several of the stereotypes our community is connected with", Diana Curmei said.

What did the Prince di Savoia whispered to her ear when he was handing her the crown? "He told me he was cheering up for me from the very beginning!"

Diana's body - the object of an insurance policy worth one million euros

The young woman explained she had problems in April, at the Moldovan-Romanian border, when the Moldovan authorities stopped her and accused her of collaborating with an anti-communist NGO. She has now decided to come and study at a Romanian University after graduating the baccalaureate in Chisinau.

Diana Curmei won an annual contract with a fashion house and another contract with a car company. She also got a mini-contract with Italian television RAI. An Italian society specialised in insurances insured her body for one million euros.

Jennifer Victoria Koranteng wins Miss Universe Ghana 2009

Ms. Jennifer Victoria Koranteng, a 22-year old Theatre Arts and Psychology graduate of the University of Ghana, is to represent the country at this year's Miss Universe show scheduled for August in Bahamas.

This followed her selection during the Pageant competition held in Accra on Friday night.

She beat four other contestants to win the Miss Universe Ghana 2009 title after excelling in four categories of grueling task performance.

This included individual presentation, physical fitness or swimsuit appearance, interview and questions on national and world affairs, and composure and grace.

The other contestants were Daphne Grace Allotey, first runners-up and Suzana Darko, second runner up and Angela Effum and Matilda Hammond.

Miss Koranteng, who displayed exceptional smartness, intelligence and confidence, said she would rely on those qualities to win the world title for Ghana in August.

She will leave Ghana for Bahamas in July to enable her undergo a training session to prepare her for the show.

Beauty In Pageant Blog Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Our blog is proud to announce that we are celebrating our one year anniversary today, 29 June 2009.

Our success is credited to all of you who have been our readers for the last year.

I hope that our dear friend, Karl Zada will recuperate soon so that he can make a note about this "celebration".

Beautyinpageants.blogspot.com was started by The Critique. Then it was transferred to Karl last February.

I am a contributor since day one.

Support our blog always and we promise to improve this soon.

By Kuh Chara

Martine Andraos Becomes the Third Confirmed Delegate to Miss Universe 2010 after Winning Miss Lebanon 2009

Eighteen year-old Martine Indraous (Andraos in some reports) became the third confirmed candidate for the Miss Universe 2010 pageant after she was crowned as Miss Lebanon 2009 in Adma, north of Beirut, last Friday, 26 June 2009.

Miss Universe 2009 pageant has not started yet but three countries have already selected their delegates for the 2010 annual pageant.

Turkey is the first country to select their representative when they crowned Senem Kuyucuoglu as Miss Turkey 2009 in April 29.

The second country to crown its representative is Bolivia when Claudia Arce was proclaimed as Miss Bolivia 2009 in May 21.

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The new Lebanese beauty queen will compete first at this year's Miss World pageant to be held in London and Johannesburg, South Africa in December before she will take her chance at the 59th Miss Universe. The venue is not yet known as of this time.

Martine beat 18 other beautiful ladies who participated in the pageant. Her First Runner-Up was the crowd favourite, Marie-Ange Sibaaly. Seline Hassoun was Second Runner-Up.

Miss Lebanon 2008, Rosarita Tawil is Lebanon's representative to the 58th Miss Universe pageant in Bahamas in August 23.

 

CONFIRMED: Top 15 Semi-Finalists will be chosen for Miss Universe 2009

The rumor that Miss Universe 2009 pageant will go back to its old format of having Top 10 semi-finalists only, instead of 12,15 or 20 is confirmed as purely RUMOR. There's no truth about this stuff that started circulating in different Latin American beauty pageant message boards.

Miss Universe 2009 will have Top 15 semi-finalists as confirmed by a report of an American newspaper which is shown below.

Click on the image for larger viewing.

"Each contestant from more than 80 countries around the world will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview TO SELECT 15 SEMI-FINALISTS, who will vie for the coveted title of Miss Universe 2009. In recent years, worldwide distribution of the popular competiton has topped more than 180 countries."

That was the exact texts confirming that the 58th Miss Universe pageant to be held in Bahamas in August 23 will select 15 semi-finalists instead of 10.

Well, from that said report, Billy Bush and Claudia Jordan will host the pageant live from the Atlantis, Paradise Island.

Poonam Mehni, Miss India Worldwide UK, is a picture of Elegance

During the finals of the 18th Annual Miss India Worldwide in Durban, South Africa which was held on a Valentines Day, 14 February 2009 at the International Convention Center, there was one Indian beauty that caught our attention. She is no other than the representative of UK, Poonam Mehni.

Poonam, Miss India Worldwide UK 2009, is a picture of elegance like most Indian beauties. Although, Poonam did not win the title in South Africa (Nikkitasha Marwaha of USA won the Miss India Worldwide 2009.), the experience helped her showcased her talents. For her, being a part of the pageant is already an opportunity because Miss India Worldwide and Miss India Worldwide UK are based on a hybrid of talent, speech and beauty.

To read more about Poonam, you can check this LINK.

Now that Miss India Worldwide UK is calling for interested applicants to join the pageant, Poonam has to face the reality that she has to pass her crown to her successor.

According to its official website, Miss India Worldwide UK is an event for those of Indian origin between the ages of 17 and 27, never married, and are citizens, residents, or born in Britain. The pageant consists of four segments: Evening Gown, Indian Dress, Talent and Question-Answer. The winners of all the various national pageants from all over the world vie for the glamorous and prestigious title of the Miss India Worldwide.

 Poonam Mehni at the Miss India Worldwide 2009 pageant in South Africa.

Miss Moldova Diana Curmei Wins Miss Italia Nel Mondo 2009

Miss Moldova is the new winner of Miss Italia Nel Mondo. Nineteen year-old Diana Curmei wins the pageant yesterday, 27 June 2009 at the magnificent Palace of Tourism Jesolo. She beat 49 other beauty queens who have Italian blood from 43 countries to win the title.

Italia Nel Mondo is on its 19th year anniversary.

Diana stands 1.76m. She is the daughter of a Sicilian mother who is married to a Moldovan. The beauty queen speaks five languages. She loves dancing and photography.

She was crowned by the outgoing Italia Nel Mondo 2008  Fiorella Migliore Llanes from Paraguay.

Adjudged as First Runner-up is from Romania. She is the twenty-two year old Simona E. Lungu. Second Runner-up is Argentinian Ana P. Ras Vitiello who is 18 years old.

Words came to us that one of the finalists is Miss Thailand Maria Giulietta Consentino.

 

 

Diane Donnely Wins Miss Ireland Universe 2009

 

Twenty-two year old model Diane Donelly is the newly crowned Miss Universe Ireland 2009. The 1.75m Irish beauty was crowned last 26th June 2009. She will be representing her country to the 58th Miss Universe pageant to be held in the Bahamas on 23rd August.

Lyn Kelly, the outgoing Miss Ireland crowned her from a sea of 21 contestants who vied for the title. The Miss Universe Ireland is headed by a former Miss Ireland Andre Roche who was a semi-finalist during the Miss Universe 1998 in Hawaii, USA.

Ireland started competing at the Miss Universe in 1961. Sadly to say, no Miss Ireland has ever won the title. The closest attempts were in 1963 and 1983.

Marlene Margaret McKeown and Roberta Brown were Second Runners up in 1963 and 1983 respectively.

Elena Bianca Constantin Wins Miss Romania Universe 2009

Elena Bianca Constantin (L) smiles after she was crowned Miss Universe Romania in Bucharest June 27, 2009. Constantin, 20, will represent Romania at the Miss Universe beauty pageant due to be held in Paradise Island, Bahamas, on August 23, 2009.

 Elena Bianca Constantin, 20, waves as she won the title of Miss Universe Romania in Bucharest June 27, 2009. Constantin will represent Romania at the Miss Universe beauty pageant due to be held in Paradise Island, Bahamas, on August 23.

 Miss Universe Romania Elena Bianca Constantin is helped by runners up to remove a confetti which stuck to her lips in Bucharest June 27, 2009. Constantin, 20, will represent Romania at the Miss Universe beauty pageant due to be held in Paradise Island, Bahamas, on August 23.

 

Elena Bianca Constantin (L) is crowned Miss Universe Romania by the current Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza from Venezuela in Bucharest June 27, 2009. Constantin, 20, will represent Romania at the Miss Universe beauty pageant due to be held in Paradise Island, Bahamas, on August 23.

 A combination picture shows Elena Bianca Constantin, the winner of Miss Universe Romania wearing (L-R) a full length dress, a traditional folk costume and a swim suit during the contest in Bucharest June 27, 2009. Constantin, 20, will represent Romania at the Miss Universe beauty pageant due to be held in Paradise Island, Bahamas, on August 23.

Taiwan hosts Mister International 2009 for the second time in a row

 

Vietnamese native, Ngo Tien Doan, MISTER INTERNATIONAL 2008 will crown his successor at the conclusion of the pageant on 28 November 2009.

During his term, he travels and appears on the media extensively to speak about his role as the Titleholder. The newly crowned MISTER INTERNATIONAL will also go on to do the same. He will also travel the world on behalf of the Mister Singapore Organization.

Each contestant from more than 35 countries around the world will be judged in three categories: swimwear, evening wear and interview as they vie for the coveted title of MISTER INTERNATIONAL 2009.

The Mister Singapore Organization, producer of the Mister Singapore and MISTER INTERNATIONAL pageants, is an international company that advances and supports today’s men. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Mister Singapore Organization is committed to increasing awareness on childhood cancer by forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as the Singapore’s Children Cancer Foundation. The company is also dedicated to increasing HIV/AIDS awareness by participating in events, activities and talks organized by Action for AIDS Singapore.

SOURCE: Mister Singapore Official Website

Miss Netherlands Universe 2009 is Half Indonesian

Netherlands crowned 19 year-old Avalon-Chanel Weyzig yesterday, 27 June 2009, as the country's representative to the the 58th Miss Universe edition in the Bahamas on August 23rd.

The trivia: Miss Netherlands Universe 2009 is half Indonesian. We will try to write more about this when we get more information from Indonesian pageant lovers who are reading our blog.

Weyzig's court include Stephanie Bos and Stevie Hartmann who were the First and Second Runners-up, respectively. The national pageant was organized by Kim Kotter.

Netherlands first entered the Miss Universe pageant in 1956. It won the title once in 1989 when the country was still known as Holland. Angela Visser was crowned in Cancun, Mexico and was also voted as the Most Beautiful Miss Universe winner.

Miss Universe 2009 in Dubai?

We all now know that the 58th edition of Miss Universe 2009 will be taking place in the Bahamas in August. But did you know that before it was decided to be staged in this Caribbean island, the pageant was almost acquired by Dubai, a city in an Arab country - the United Arab Emirates?

Why did it not push through? It's because of Israel's Adi Rodnitzki. So what was Adi's participation in this controversy? Read it from an article written by Debbie Schlussel.

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As longtime readers know I'm not exactly a fan of Donald Trump or his attached enormous ego. But I have to give him credit for doing the right thing. He moved the Miss Universe Pageant from Dubai, after Dubai said the country would not allow the pageant to go on with Miss Israel in it--something about not wanting pretty women to enter the Arab Muslim world.

On the other hand, Trump had no choice. Many of his business partners are Jews, as are many of the people with whom he socializes on the Manhattan rich people's cocktail circuit. Still, perhaps I'm giving both Trump and New York Jews too much credit. I doubt they'd shun him if he went on with the pageant excluding the Jew (although Miss Israel has been a Muslim Arab before, such as Rana Raslan). They really don't care a whit about anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiment. Look who most of 'em voted for in the Presidential election.

Plus Trump shouldn't have considered Dubai in the first place. It's no secret the nation boycotts Israel, etc. That's not to mention Trump's good friend, Russell Simmons, who employs an anti-Semitic Muslim--Benjamin Chavis Muhammad--as head of his Hip Hop Summit Action Network. So, it's not like anti-Semitism really bothers Trump all too much.

Trump isn't exactly bothered by Dubai anyway. He was supposed to build a Trump International Hotel and Tower, there, which is now "delayed." And the cancellation of Miss Universe there might have more to do with that, then any moral stand against anti-Semitism in Dubai and the other United Arab Emirates.

Regardless, though, Dubai's anti-Israel policy has been publicly dissed by no less than Trump, and that's a good thing.

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SOURCE: Dubai Says No to Miss Israel, Trump Moves Miss Universe to Vegas

Melanie Marquez Studies Law

1979 Miss International winner, Mimilanie Marquez or Melanie as she is famously known, is really serious in becoming a lawyer in few years. Considered as the Most Beautiful Miss International winner, Melanie is currently enrolled at  the Law School of Arellano University in Manila, Philippines.

The funny thing is that Melanie's married to an Australian-based attorney whose surname is Lawyer.

Before taking Law, Melanie graduated as a Cum Laude with a degree in Business Management in November 2006. She is still beautiful and youthful at the age of  45.

Miss Japan Emiri Miyasaka's Versace Long Gowns

Emiri Miyasaka, Japan's representative to the Miss Universe 2009, will be wearing VERSACE gowns in the Bahamas during the pageant. But not at the evening gown competition.

Karl earlier reported in this blog entry that Emiri will be wearing a Gucci for the evening gown competition as announced by Ines Ligron, Japan's Miss Universe Organization Director, sometime in May. She made the announcement in her blog.

Emiri will be wearing the Versace gowns only at the preliminary interview, charity auctions, fashion shows and other events. This is what Ines had announced in an another blog entry dated 17 June 2009 under the article VERSACE FITTING FOR THE BAHAMAS article.

Here are pictures of some of the gowns.

In an another development, Ines also gave the public an idea of the national costume Emiri will  be wearing. Below is a picture of the said costume.

Miss Universe 2009 goes back to Top 10 format

No more Top 15 or Top 20 at the Miss Universe 2009. Instead, only the Top 10 will be called at the finals.

Rumor or fact?

This is the message sent to us by a very good friend. He forwarded to me a message he copied from a Puerto Rican pageant forum. He forgot to name the said forum.

Here is the message.

Miss Universe will return to the popular 90's format of having only a Top 10. The Top 10 will compete in both swimsuit and evening gown. The scores will be averaged out and the Top 5 will be selected.

The producer of Miss Universe, Phil Gurin, affirms that with the return of the individual interviews, will come more "youtube" moments. He also mentioned that with the Top 15 format, it does not allow the public to identify themselves with any of the contestants, which has been reflected on the ratings each year.

Miriam Quiambao's Long Gown Inspired Lara Dutta's

Philippine representatives to the Miss Universe pageant usually wear 80-ish gowns since the start of this new millennium. Binibining Pilipinas Organization is obviously not working out in this issue. Many pageant fans who are mostly Filipinos believe that the lack of support from the pageant organizer to dress their candidates in stunning long gowns is what causing the Philippines their failure to crack to the semis.

But in 1999, ten years ago in Trinidad and Tobago, Miriam Quiambao impressed the universe when she paraded in a breathtaking Halston evening gown which helped her claimed that year's First Runner-Up to Miss Botswana Mpule Kweglagobe.

The said gown is also the same long gown that caused Miriam's infamous fall on stage during the preliminary competition. She slipped and fell when the heel of one of her shoes got caught in the trail of her dress.

Maybe Miriam's gown was one of the best gowns ever wore by a Miss Philippines to the Miss Universe. I said this because I have observed that the following Miss Universe pageant in Nicosia, Cyprus in 2000, some of the candidates had gowns that is so similar with Miriam's.

Have you observed this? If not, take a look on these pictures.

This is Miriam's gown.

 

Now, take a look on the gowns of the Top 3 finisher that year.

Lara Dutta of India, the new Miss Universe and Helen Lindes of Spain, First Runner-Up wore gowns that was obviously inspired by the gown of Miriam.