Russia's Victoria Radochinskaya wins Mrs World 2009; 2 bets from Vietnam shocked fans

I have finally watched the coronation night of the Miss Earth 2009 pageant in Boracay, a famous island and beach resort in the province of Aklan, south of Manila in the Philippines. I have a lot of things to say but I gonna reserve it for my next blog entry. Instead, I will talk about the results of the just-concluded Mrs. World 2009 that took place in Vietnam.

Mrs Russia Victoria Radochinskaya amazingly captured the title of Mrs World 2009 in Vung Tau, Vietnam on the same day Miss Earth 2009 crowned its winner. She was crowned by Ukraine's Natalya Shmarenkova, the winner in 2008. This is the second time a Russian representative was favored to win the title after Sofia Arzhakovskaya clinched the top honor in 2006 in a very controversial pageant in her home country, in St. Petersburg in particular.

Victoria is a 31-year old mother of one. She has been married for 8 years. She recieved a crown of white golds that was decorated with 63 rubies. The crown is valued at $100,000.

Mrs USA Andrea Robertson was first runner-up and Mrs Vietnam Hoang Thi Yen was the second runner-up.

Most fans are not convinced about Mrs USA and Mrs Vietnam. As they claim, it's not surprising to see the two married beauty queens having awards simply because of two factors: first - the pageant is owned or based in the US; second - the pageant was held in Vietnam.

It is also very odd to see two Vietnamese representatives in the pageant. It is something very questionable. Pageant fans are actually shocked upon learning this. But Joyce Ann Burton, Miss Philippines Universe 1985, has an answer.

In Joyce's blog (www.adventuresofabeautyqueen.wordpress.com), she noted that when she asked the National Director of Mrs World (probably for Philippines), Mr. Ovette explained that one of them represented Vung Tau, the city where the pageant was held, and one of them is representative of Vietnam as a country.

Why would a pageant of international calibre would allow this?

Mrs India, Mrs Brazil and Mrs Poland made the Top 6. On the other, Top 12 includes representatives from the Philippines, Malaysia, Costa Rica, South Africa, England and Cote d'lvoire.

The Best in National Costume was awarded to Mrs Hong Kong.

75 married ladies from all over the world competed for the title.

Mrs World 2010 will be held in Korea.

Vietnam to host Mrs World Pageant 2009

Vietnam has, once again, been selected to host one of the most popular beauty contests, 'Mrs. World Pageant 2009', CIAT, the organizer, announced March 18 at Rex Hotel, District 1.

The organizing board at the press March 18 at Rex Hotel.

The venue is in the beautiful southeastern costal province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau.

Vietnam will be allowed to send two contestants this year.

Vietnam has a proud history in the international beauty contest.

In 2005, Dr. Doan Thi Kim Hong, CIAT chairwoman, was given the title 'Mrs. Most Admired' at the Mrs. World Pageant 2005 in Bombay, India. Three years later, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Dieu Hoa, director of Phoenix Commodities, was in the top five last year iin Kaliningrad, Russia.

In preparation for the contest, the province is carrying out another contest 'Mrs. Vietnam Pageant 2009' from late July to late September, with the aim to select its two contestants to represent Vietnam at Mrs. World Pageant 2009 two months later.

Supported and approved by the government and the ministries of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Police, and Foreign Affairs, the Department of Art Performance and Mrs. World Organization, the contests are held by Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province People's Committee, Vietnam's Women Central Union, and Trade Fair & Advertising Incorporated Company - CIAT.

Mrs. Vietnam Pageant, for married women devoted to social contributions, is an event to honor Vietnamese women's beauty of spirit, personality, intelligence, talent and skills in family life, as well as society, to promote their role and competence to help the country become more affluent, beautiful and civilized.

The knock-out rounds for the national contest will take place at Ho Chi Minh City in late July. One month later, the semi-final will share its show in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. All winning contestants from the semi-finals will go on to the final at Vung Tau in late September.

Just like other beauty contests, Mrs. Vietnam Pageant 2009 will have three rounds: costume, personality and talent.

The costume round contains Vietnam traditional costume, gala dress and swimsuit.

The personality round focuses on the fields of historical knowledge, socio-culture, family happiness and charity work.

In the talent round, candidates must present some of their talents like sewing, embroidery, singing, dancing, cooking, flower arranging and sport.

The winning contestant will be given the title 'Mrs. Vietnam Pageant 2009' and VND150 million ($8,580), gifts, a crown and a certificate from the organization committee.

Mrs. Vietnam 2009 will officially be the Vietnamese contestant at Mrs. World Pageant 2009.

The runner-up will be given the title 'Mrs. Ba Ria - Vung Tau 2009' and VND100 million (US$5,710), gifts and a certificate. She will also represent Vietnam at the world pageant contest.

The second runner-up will receive VND80 million (US$4,570).

The contest will also select the titles: 'Mrs. Friendly,' 'Mrs. Nicest Face,' 'Mrs. Most Dynamic,' 'Mrs. Vietnam Best Traditional Costume,' 'Mrs. Best Skin,' 'Mrs. Best Art Aptitude' and 'Mrs. Success.'

'Mrs. Friendly' will receive VND50 million (US$2,850) while the others will receive VND15 million (US$850) each.

At the end of October, international contestants will arrive in the costal province before practicing for the show in November.

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Mrs. World in Vietnam

Duc Hanh meets Doan Thi Kim Hong, the first ever Vietnamese representative at the Mrs World pageant, who is now helping to bring the contest to Vietnam

Young, long legged single girls can’t hog the limelight all for themselves. Mrs. Vietnam, a beauty pageant for more mature women, which will be held in Vung Tau this September, aims to find the most talented and beautiful career woman in all of Vietnam. The lucky winner won’t be going far as she will be representing her country at the Mrs. World pageant, also to be held in Vung Tau, in November.

Doan Thi Kim Hong was the first woman to ever represent Vietnam at a Mrs. World pageant in India back in 2005. Kim Hong, the Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City-based CIAT’s (Advertising & Trade Fair Joint Stock Company) Management Board, didn’t win the overall prize but she was declared Mrs.

Congeniality and also showed her strength and athleticism by winning the mountain climbing event. Each year the Mrs. World contest aims to find and honour “the model of a modern woman”. It’s easy to see how Kim Hong dazzled the judges as a beautiful mother with a highly successful career. Although, success in business means she barely gets a minute for our quick interview. Her mobile phone rings continuously, while assistants come and go with queries and messages as we chat.

Despite the interruptions, she remains composed, smiling radiantly throughout, as if the stress and strain of work is like water off a duck’s back. She appears younger than her age (she’s 40 years old) and at times it’s hard to imagine the woman in front of me is a single mother of a 12-year-old boy. “It was very hard to be the first Vietnamese woman to enter the Mrs. World Pageant,” she says.

“With the exception of my eldest brother, everyone I knew opposed my decision openly! They could not understand how a mother with a son could attend a beauty contest. “I overcame every comment, every sneer to enter the competition. Because I knew that the contest honours the model of a modern woman, who is accomplished in her career, and family.” The Mrs.

World beauty contest was inspired by a beauty contest for married women held in the US back in 1938. Over the years the contest had its ups and downs and was halted for several years before it was re-started in 1977. Married women, widows and even elderly women were allowed to enter the contest. “It’s very lucky that I won small prizes in the international contest as it filled me with self-confidence, determination and ambition to bring the Mrs.

World Pageant to Vietnam. Vietnamese women are very beautiful, charming and capable – why not have a contest like this for them?” says Hong. Three years after her own contest, Hong convinced Nguyen Dieu Hoa, a former Miss Vietnam in 1990, and now the director of Phoenix Commodities as well as a mother of three, to enter the Mrs. World Pageant 2008 in Russia.

“I was very happy to help Dieu Hoa get in the Top 5 at the contest,” says Kim Hong. “The success of Dieu Hoa also helped me a lot when trying to convince the Organisation Board of the Mrs. World Contest, Ba Ria-Vung Tau provincial authorities and Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to approve my company’s plan to host both Mrs. Vietnam 2009 and Mrs. World 2009 in Vung Tau.”

As a kid Kim Hong dreamt of becoming a doctor or a policewoman, but in the end she studied music and she started out as a music teacher in a secondary school, before becoming marketing manager for the Vietnam National Trade Fair & Advertising Company (Vinexad), then director of VCCI’s advertising company.

Thanks to her success at Mrs. World 2005, Kim Hong has turned CIAT into one of the top companies for consultation and event management in Vietnam. “People often think that a businesswoman does not have enough time to do their housework. But they are wrong. I inherited my kind-hearted, unselfish, devoted and patient character from my mother,” says Kim Hong, who is now also the head of the Mrs. World-Vietnam Organising Committee.

“She helps me a lot to overcome the despair of my marriage. I feel happy to live with my mother and my little son. I am happy to cook meals for my son and to take care of my mother after work. “Do I lack a man in my life? Oh no, I have a little 12-year-old man at home and I feel very happy and optimistic though my family situation may not be as perfect as other women’s.”

Kim Hong’s company has experience in beauty pageants after working on successful events such as Miss Ethnic Vietnam 2007 and Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang. Details about Mrs World 2009 can be found on www.mrsworld.com. “I believe that the contest will be a successful one,” says Kim Hong.

“I hope that through this contest I can promote my country’s wonderful scenery and friendliness of the Vietnamese people while honouring the beauty of Vietnamese women as well.” No doubt in regard to that last wish, she is leading by example.(english.vietnamnet.vn)

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