Miss Puerto Rico

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Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico are the official national preliminaries to the Miss Universe and Miss World international pageants respectively. Each year both events are held to select the representatives from the island to both contests. The two national pageants are the most important beauty contests in Puerto Rico.

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[edit] Miss Puerto Rico

The Miss Puerto Rico beauty pageant has been held since the 1950s. The pageant has suffered some changes in the 1990s and 2000s because of new franchise holders. The winner of the contest represents Puerto Rico at the Miss Universe contest each year.

The election of Miss Puerto Rico begins the year before the winner goes on to participate in the Miss Universe pageant. Each of the 78 Puerto Rican cities may choose a representative who then enters the Miss Puerto Rico finals, traditionally held at a San Juan area hotel. There have been three changes in the organization that led to modifications in the pageant’s name. Miss Puerto Rico was held from 1952 until 1998, in 1996 the pageant lost the franchise for Miss Universe. From 1996 to 1998 Telemundo organized the event, now named “Miss Universe Puerto Rico”. But another change happened, this time TeleOnce (now Univision Puerto Rico) obtained the franchises and organized the newly named “Miss Puerto Rico Universe” from 1999 to 2002. Finally, since 2003 Magali Febles, current franchise holder organizes the pageant.

Currently the pageant is officially titled Miss Puerto Rico Universe and selects the island's candidates to Miss Universe. A rival pageant, Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico (mundo being the Spanish word for world), organizes the preliminary to the Miss World pageant. There are frequently crossovers between the two pageants: most famously, Joyce Giraud was crowned Miss Puerto Rico twice by Ana Rosa Brito: first in 1994 as Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico, then in 1998 as Miss Universe Puerto Rico. Furthermore, delegates are allowed to compete more than once at the Miss Puerto Rico Universe pageant, the caveat being that they are not allowed to do so if they compete internationally. After losing the Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2003 pageant to Carla Tricoli, Cynthia Olavarria was the first runner-up. She returned in 2005 to take the pageant and nearly became Miss Universe 2005, while Tricoli did not place in her respective Miss Universe pageant. Another case of the first runner-up returning to take the title is Brenda Liz Lopez, who was second to Ana Rosa Brito in 1997 and won outright for the 1999 crown.

Puerto Rico has long been a powerhouse in the beauty pageant circuit, and in the last decade its delegates have attracted significant attention at the Miss Universe contest. Although the presidency of the Miss Universe preliminary, held by Magali Febles, has been surrounded by significant controversies (including an ongoing dispute between Febles and Cynthia Olavarria, Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2005), the island has been producing exceedingly strong candidates consistently. Ironically, although five of its candidates have won the Miss Universe title, and eleven in total have placed in the finalists and semifinalists, it was only last year in 2005 that Cynthia Olavarria became the first Puerto Rican "virreina" (runner-up).

Marisol Malaret, Miss Puerto Rico 1970, became, that same year, the first Puerto Rican to win the Miss Universe contest. Four other Miss Puerto Ricos, Deborah Carthy-Deu 1985), Dayanara Torres (1993), Denise Quinones (2001), and Zuleyka Rivera (2006) have also been chosen as Miss Universe winners.

Many others were finalists in the Miss Universe contest, including:

  • Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica (1998), who may have lost the Miss Universe pageant with a poor final round of interview, where she remarked 'women are the best' over and over without really expanding her answer.

Anna Santisteban was the contest's president until 1998, when Miss Puerto Rico officially ended. Between 1996 and 2003 the pageant was owned by Telemundo and TeleOnce. Now the president is Magali Febles, who became the first person to occupy the presidency of two such contests when she acquired the Miss Dominican Republic contest, also in 2003.

Current Miss Puerto Rico Universe is Guayanilla's Wilma "Uma" Blasini Pérez, who won the national preliminary on November 22, 2006, she will compete in Miss Universe 2007.

The Miss Puerto Rico beauty pageant has now turned to technology to reach more people through the use of podcasting. Starting with the 2006 pageant, Miss Puerto Rico Universe became the first pageant of the Miss Universe franchise to have a podcast.[citation needed] In this, Wilton Vargas, an international multi-media and technology personality, interviews all contestants with the goal of helping people get to know them better so that they can participate in the voting process using cell phones. This podcast is published as a section in technology news and information website Tecnetico.com and various podcast directories, including iTunes.

[edit] Miss Puerto Rico Titleholders

  • 1952: Marilia Levy, Lares
  • 1953: Wanda Irizarry
  • 1954: Lucy Santiago
  • 1955: Carmen Laura Betancourt
  • 1956: Paquita Vivo
  • 1957: Mapita Mercado
  • 1958-1960: No Contests
  • 1961: Enid del Valle
  • 1962: Ana Celia Sosa
  • 1963: Jeanette Blascoechea
  • 1964: Yolanda Rodríguez Machín
  • 1965: Gloria Cobain Diaz
  • 1966: Carol Bajandas
  • 1967: Ivonne Coll
  • 1968: Marlene Carrasquillo
  • 1969: Aida Betancourt, Santurce-San Juan
  • 1970: Marisol Malaret Contreras, Santurce-San Juan (MISS UNIVERSE 1970)
  • 1971: Idalia Margarita "Beba" Franco, San Juan (Miss Universe 1971 3rd Runner-Up)
  • 1972: Bárbara Torres, Santurce-San Juan
  • 1973: Gladys Vanessa Colón Díaz, Orocovis
  • 1974: Sonia María Stege Chardón, San Juan (Miss Universe 1974 Semifinalist)
  • 1975: Lorell del Carmen Carmona, San German
  • 1976: Elizabeth Zayas, Salinas
  • 1977: María del Mar Rivera, Ponce
  • 1978: Ada Perkins Flores, San Juan
  • 1979: Teresa López, Mayagüez
  • 1980: Agnes Tañón Correa, Caguas (Miss Universe 1980 Semifinalist)
  • 1981: Carmen Lotti, Guaynabo
  • 1982: Lourdes Mantero Hormazábal, Juncos
  • 1983: Carmen Batíz Vergara, Trujillo Alto
  • 1984: Sandra Beauchamp, Mayagüez
  • 1985: Deborah F. Carthy-Deu, San Juan (MISS UNIVERSE 1985)
  • 1985: Aileen Ramírez, San Germán (Succeeded Deborah Carhy after becoming Miss Universe 1985)
  • 1986: Elizabeth Robison Latalladi, San Germán (Miss Universe 1987 Semifinalist)
  • 1987: Laurie Tamara Simpson Rivera, San Juan (Miss Universe 1987 4th Runner-Up) Miss International 1987
  • 1988: Isabel Pardo, Guaynabo
  • 1989: Catalina Villar, Salinas
  • 1990: María Luisa Fortuño, Guaynabo
  • 1991: Lizzette Bouret, Toa Alta
  • 1992: Daisy García, Bayamón
  • 1993: Dayanara Torres Delgado, Toa Alta (MISS UNIVERSE 1993)
  • 1994: Brenda Esther Robles Cortés, Isabela
  • 1995: Desirée Lowry Rodríguez, Corozal (Miss Universe 1995 Finalist)
  • 1996: María del Rocío Arroyo, Lares (Did not compete at Miss Universe)
  • 1997: Lydia Guzmán, Lares (Did not compete at Miss Universe)
  • 1998: Ymak Farrah Fagundo Soto, Cabo Rojo (Did not compete at Miss Universe)

[edit] Miss Universe Puerto Rico Titleholders

  • 1996: Sarybel Velilla Cabeza, Toa Alta
  • 1997: Ana Rosa Brito Suárez, San Juan (Miss Universe 1997 Semifinalist)
  • 1998: Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica, Aguas Buenas (Miss Universe 1998 2nd Runner-Up)

[edit] Miss Puerto Rico Universe Titleholders

Under TeleOnce

  • 1999: Brenda Liz López Ramos, Lares (Miss Universe 1999 Semifinalist)
  • 2000: Zoraida Isabel Fonalledas Ferraiouli, Guaynabo
  • 2001: Denise Marie Quiñones August, Lares (MISS UNIVERSE 2001)
  • 2001: Johanna Treviño, Añasco (Succeeded Denise Quiñones after becoming Miss Universe 2001)
  • 2002: Isis Marie Casalduc González, Utuado

Under Magali Febles

  • 2003: Carla Tricoli Rodríguez, Vieques
  • 2004: Alba Giselle Reyes Santos, Cidra (Miss Universe 2004 2nd Runner-Up)
  • 2005: Cynthia Enid Olavarria Rivera, Salinas (Miss Universe 2005 1st Runner-Up)
  • 2006: Zuleyka Jerris Rivera Mendoza, Salinas (MISS UNIVERSE 2006)
  • 2006: Marilyn Bartolomei Balay, Ponce (Succeeded Zuleyka Rivera after becoming Miss Universe 2006)
  • 2007: Wilmadilys "Uma" Blasini Pérez, Guayanilla , She will compete in Miss Universe 2007

Note: There have been three names for the title of the Puerto Rican beauty pageant winner. The title was first Miss Puerto Rico, then Miss Universe Puerto Rico, and is currently Miss Puerto Rico Universe. The title name changes accompanied changes in ownership of the pageant.

[edit] Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico

Along with Miss Puerto Rico Universe, Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico is one of the two most important national pageants in Puerto Rico. Held for the first time in 1959, followed by a hiatus between 1960 and 1969. Since 1970 the pageant has become an annual event. The winner of this contest participate in the Miss World pageant, the biggest and most prestigious pageant worldwide. Currently the president is Delia Cruz, mother of Puerto Rico's only Miss World Wilnelia Merced Cruz. The pageant has produced one winner (1975), one 2nd Runner-Up (2005) and seven semifinalists (1976, 1978, 1980, 1985, 2002, 2003 and 2006).

Before 2001 the pageant was cataloged as outdated and with a poor production. That perception has changed after 2002, when former Miss Puerto Rico Desiree Lowry organized the event. Since then, the pageant had selected strong representatives which had placed in the semifinals four times in the last five years.

The current Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico is Orocovis Jennifer Guevara Campos, who was crowned in January 24 by Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico 2006, Thebyam Carrión Álvarez, a Miss World 2006 Semifinalist.

[edit] Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico Titleholders

  • 1959: Lilie Díaz
  • 1960-1969: No Contests
  • 1970: Alma Doris Perez
  • 1971: Raquel Quintana
  • 1972: Ana Nisi Goyco Graciani, Ponce
  • 1973: Milagros García
  • 1974: Loyda Eunice Valle Blas Machado
  • 1975: Wilnelia Merced Cruz, Cagüas (MISS WORLD 1975)
  • 1976: Ivette Rosado (Miss World 1976 Semifinalist)
  • 1977: Didriana del Rio
  • 1978: Maria Jesus Cañizares (Miss World 1978 Semifinalist)
  • 1979: Daisy Marissette Lopez
  • 1980: Michelle Torres Cintrón (Miss World 1980 Semifinalist)
  • 1981: Andrenira Ruiz
  • 1982: Jannette Torres Burgos
  • 1983: Fatima Mustafá Vásquez
  • 1984: Maria de los Angeles Rosas Silva
  • 1985: Iris Matias Gonzáles (Miss World 1985 Semifinalist)
  • 1986-1988: No Contests
  • 1989: Tania Collazo, Orocovis
  • 1990: Magdalena Pabón
  • 1991: Johanna Berenice Irizarry
  • 1992: Lianabel Rosario Centeno, Trujillo Alto
  • 1993: Ana Rosa Brito Suárez, San Juan
  • 1994: Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica, Aguas Buenas
  • 1995: Swanni Quiñones Laracuente, Bayamón
  • 1996: Marissa de la Caridad Hernández
  • 1997: Aurea Isis Marrero Nieves, Dorado
  • 1998: Antonia Alfonso Pagán, Juana Díaz
  • 1999: Arlene Torres Torres, Bayamón
  • 2000: Sarybel Velilla Cabeza, Toa Alta
  • 2001: Bárbara Serrano Negrón, Vieques
  • 2002: Cassandra Polo Berríos, Guaynabo (Miss World 2002 Semifinalist)
  • 2003: Joyceline Montero García, Bayamón (Miss World 2003 Semifinalist)
  • 2004: Cassandra Castro Holland, Luquillo(Miss World 2004 Semifinalist (TOP 20))
  • 2005: Ingrid Marie Rivera Santos, Dorado (Miss World 2005 2nd Runner-Up & Miss World Caribbean)
  • 2006: Thebyam Carrión Alvarez, Arecibo (Miss World 2006 Semifinalist)
  • 2007: Jennifer Guevara Campos, Orocovis (She will compete in Miss World 2007)

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../m/i/s/Miss_Puerto_Rico_e814.html"