Venezuelan Stefania Fernandez was crowned the new Miss Universe here late Sunday after she was selected from among young women from 83 countries.

The official decision was made at the Atlantis Resort by a 12-person judging panel that included Andre Leon Talley, the editor-at-large for American Vogue, actor Dean Cain and supermodel Valeria Mazza.

It was Venezuela’s sixth Miss Universe crown in the 59-year history of the pageant.

The main event Sunday was hosted by Celebrity Apprentice star Claudia Jordan and Access Hollywood co-anchor Billy Bush, and included performances by rapper Flo Rida, singers David Guetta and Kelly Rowland and reality star Heidi Montag.

Fernandez, 18, inherited the Miss Universe crown from another Venezuelan, Dayana Mendoza, who won the competition in 2008. During her reign, Mendoza traveled the globe as an advocate for HIV/AIDS education, research and legislation.

The newly crowned Miss Universe is expected to do the same.

“We Venezuelans never tire. We made history today,” Mendoza said in a telephone interview with Venezuelan media after the event. “It was almost impossible, but Stefania did an excellent job.”

She admitted that at the moment of transferring the crown she whispered in the ear of Fernandez, “You made it, witch!” and gave her an affectionate pat on the backside.

Two other young women from Latin America made it into the top five: 23-year-old Ada de la Cruz of the Dominican Republic and Mayra Matos, 20, of Puerto Rico.

The top group also included young women from Australia and Kosovo.

Representatives of the Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, South Africa and the United States made it to the top 10.

As the new Miss Universe, Fernandez will receive a monetary prize, the size of which has been kept confidential.

The top award also includes a 100,000-dollar scholarship to study acting at an academy in New York, a five-day vacation package in the Bahamas for two, a set of jewelry and a complete wardrobe.

But the main attraction for contestants is an opportunity to break into and establish themselves in the lucrative world of show business, organizers said.

“Women who seek the title of Miss Universe are driven by their desires to open for themselves new opportunities in the world of acting and entertainment,” Acirema Alayeto, president of Miss Latin America Organization, told AFP.

Each contestant was judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview as they vied for the coveted title.

For the past two weeks, the women have been touring the various islands and participating in preliminary legs of the competition including the swimsuit presentation in Grand Bahama, a costume presentation, a fashion showcase featuring local designs and fabrics and a state auction dinner in New Providence.

The contestants have also toured other Bahamian islands, including Grand Bahama, Bimini, Exuma, Eleuthera and Abaco, visiting landmarks and posing for photographs.

As Hurricane Bill neared last week, several contestants expressed worries about their safety and the prospects for the competition, but the storm’s path passed far away from the islands.

The pageant, broadcast by the NBC network, was viewed by an estimated worldwide audience of approximately one billion people.

Article: AFP  Photographer: DARREN DECKER

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Image and Article: © AFP 2008 /2009/ 2010

The swimwear is always a highlight of the Miss Universe Pageant. This year, at Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, fifteen of the world’s most beautiful women were adorned with white bikinis from BSC Swimwear. The event was just a small part of the show, which took place on 23rd of August and ended with the crowning of a new Miss Universe for 2009.

Read BLK1 To Find Out Who Was Crowned Miss Universe 2009.

Photographer: DARREN DECKER

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Article: © BLK1 2008-2009. All Rights Reserved.

As one of the most publicised beauty contests in the world, attracting millions of viewers from all across the globe, the Miss Universe pageant will no doubt, be one of the highest anticipated events this year.

Taking place on the shores of Nassau, the Bahamas on a little island so-fittingly called ‘Paradise,’ the prestigious pageants’ 58th year looks as though it will live up to its reputation as the most popular pageant in the world.

First founded in 1952 by Californian clothing company, Pacific Mills, the Miss Universe pageant went on to later become one of Donald Trump’s many acquisitions in 1996, and has since developed into a worldwide phenomenon.

It is this phenomenon which Mr Trump and his organisers remain steadfast in promoting as ‘not just a beauty contest,’ but a culture-rich event which strives to include intelligent, well-mannered and confident women from all across the globe.

Each of these women vying for the coveted title will be judged in three categories: swimwear, evening gown and a one-on-one interview with the judges. If successful, the winner will find themselves catapulted into a life devoted to overseas charity campaigns, intent on creating public awareness regarding the control and prevention of specific diseases, in particular, AIDS, and seeking to improve the lives of others through the promotion and general well-being of others.

Of course, the winner also gets to call the Trump Tower, New York, home, during her year-long reign and is exposed to a world filled with countless opportunities and career prospects.

Since touching down on the Caribbean nation’s picturesque shores of Paradise Island, each of the 84 contestants will spend their time leading up to the final date, visiting the island’s abundance of beautiful locations, and making various glamorous appearances before the first official round of judging commences on August 16th, in which 15 finalists will be selected for the lavish August 23 event.

With Venezuela, the United States and Puerto Rico possessing the highest number of wins in the pageants history, it will be expected that Stefanania Fernandes (Venezuela), Kristen Dalton (USA) and Mayra Matos (Puerto Rico), will all reach the finals and be strong contenders for the coveted Diamond Nexus Labs Crown.

Local Townsville beauty, Rachael Finch, who recently came close to being devoured by a five metre crocodile, whilst doing promotion work at Crocodylus Park in Darwin late last month, is also a pageant favourite for following in the footsteps of 2004 Aussie winner, Jennifer Hawkins.

Sadly, there are a handful of past participating countries, which will not be competing this year, including Antigua and Barbuda, Chile, Denmark, Kazakhstan, Northern Marianas and Trinidad and Tobago, due to various issues such as lack of funding, sponsorship and general lack of national interest.

As is true of every beauty pageant, further fuelling the budding excitement and anticipation in the lead up to the event, a string of controversial events, which have sparked considerable media attention, have occurred. Apart from Japanese entrant, Emiri Miyasaka being opening criticised for her daringly revealing leather-clad national costume, in which her hot pink underwear was clearly visible, insulting many people from her home country, a row has also broken out between Bolivia and Peru regarding the name of Miss Peru’s national costume, “la Diablada,” which the Bolivians are claiming is a stolen manifestation of folklore which belongs to them.

Alas, all publicity is good publicity, and as the beautiful Paradise Island finds itself inhabited by another 84 rare beauties, the hype continues to mount as to who will take over the reign of Venezuelan winner, Dayana Mendoza and who, with flowers in hand, and diamond tiara on head, will find her world inextricably filled with bright, new possibilities and the lasting memory of a night she will never forget.

BLK1 IS EXCITED TO BRING YOU FULL COVERAGE OF THE 2009 MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT

BLK1 Article: JESSICA LENI

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