Miss World 2008
| Miss World 2008 |
|
| Date |
December 13, 2008 |
| Presenters |
Tumisho Masha and Angela Chow[1] |
| Entertainment |
Alesha Dixon, McFly |
| Venue |
Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Broadcaster |
SABC |
| Entrants |
109 |
| Placements |
15 |
| Withdraws |
Estonia, Grenada, Macedonia FYRO, Nepal, Panama, Romania, Slovenia, Suriname |
| Returns |
Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Chinese Taipei, Congo Democratic Republic, Egypt, Honduras, Portugal, St. Lucia, Seychelles, Uruguay, Zambia |
| Winner |
Ksenia Sukhinova
Russia |
Miss World 2008, the 58th Miss World pageant was held at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on December 13, 2008. Originally, the pageant was going to take place in Kiev, Ukraine, but because of the ongoing crisis between Georgia and Russia in neighboring South Ossetia, the Miss World Organization decided to move the pageant away from Eastern Europe. 109 contestants from all over the world compete for the crown, the second highest turnout in the 59 years of the pageant. Miss World 2007, Zhang Zilin of the People's Republic of China crowned Ksenia Sukhinova of Russia as the brand new Miss World.
10 out of 15 countries which made it into the semifinals, were not in the semifinals last year: Barbados (1974), Croatia (1999), Kazakhstan (2000), Ukraine (2001), Iceland, Russia, South Africa and Spain (2005), and Brazil and India (2006). Mexico placed in the finals for the fifth consecutive year. Puerto Rico placed for the fourth consecutive year. Angola and Venezuela reached the finals for the third consecutive year.
Results
| Final results |
Contestant |
| Miss World 2008 |
|
| 1st Runner-up |
|
| 2nd Runner-up |
|
| Top 5 |
|
| Top 15 |
|
Continental Queens of Beauty
[2][3]
Fast Track Events
Beach Beauty
The Miss World Beach Beauty took place on November 29 at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Durban, South Africa. The 25 semifinalists for the event were selected by a panel of judges and the names were revealed on November 27.[4]
- Winner: Mexico
- 1st runner-up: South Africa
- 2nd runner-up: Russia
- Top 10 finalists: Angola, India, Lebanon, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Spain, Venezuela
- Semi-finalists: Australia, Colombia, Croatia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Paraguay, Serbia, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay, Zimbabwe
Top Model
The Miss World Top Model took place on December 3 at Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in Soweto, South Africa. 32 semifinalists competed in the event.[5]
- Winner: Russia
- 1st runner-up: India
- 2nd runner-up: Angola
- Top 10 finalists: Croatia, Curaçao, Czech Republic, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Venezuela
- Top 32 semi-finalists: Argentina, Barbados, Belarus, Brazil, China PR, Colombia, Ethiopia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Namibia, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, Zimbabwe
Sports
The Miss World Sports took place on December 5 at Glenburg Lodge in Muldersdrift, South Africa.[6]
| Results |
Contestant |
| Miss World Sport |
|
| 1st Runner-up |
|
| 2nd Runner-up |
|
| Finalists |
|
Talent
The Miss World Talent took place on December 7 at Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg, South Africa.[7]
| Result |
Contestant |
| Miss World Talent |
|
| 1st Runner-up |
|
| 2nd Runner-up |
|
| Top 19 |
|
Beauty with a Purpose
The winner was announced during the live telecast on December 13.[8]
- Winner: Trinidad & Tobago, Gabrielle Walcott: for working with the Just Because Foundation dedicated to creating hospitable conditions for children with cancer. Gabrielle helped raise about $100,000 in charity for the creation of a new ward for these children.
- The remaining 4 finalists were:
- Hungary, Szilvia Freire: For working with the NEM ADOM FEL Foundation, dedicated to the awareness that handicapped and disabled people are of value to our society, and to make these individuals feel accepted.
- Kenya Ruth Kinuthia: For working with a school in the slums of Nairobi mainly for students who have been orphaned by HIV AIDS, helping raise funds for the sustenance of the school, as well as being a role model for students.
- Mexico, Anagabriela Espinoza: For assisting the Casa Hogar of Jilotepec, "Ayuda y Solidaridad con las Niñas de la Calle", which means help and solidarity with the girls from the streets. Anagaby created a dynamic event called "Pass the Crown" where she would ask the girls about their best quality, and then put a tiara on their heads because of it.
Special Award
Best World Dress Designer
- Winner: United States
- Finalists: Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala
Miss People's Choice
Judges
The panel of judges was composed by 8 notable personalities:
- Julia Morley - Chairman and CEO of Miss World LTD
- Wilnelia Merced - Miss World 1975 and president of her own charity in Puerto Rico
- Aminurta Kang - Theatre stage director, China and North America
- Krish Naidoo - International ambassador for Miss World
- Pearl Luthuli - Group executive public commercial services SABC
- Lindiwe Mahlangu - Chief executive of the Joburg Tourism Company
- Precious Moloi-Motsepe - Chairperson of African Fashion International
- Graham Cooke - President of World Travel
Contestants
- 109 contestants participated in this pageant.
Returning countries and territories
Withdrawing countries and territories
- Estonia: Withdrew due to lack of funding and sponsorship.
- Grenada: No longer participant at Miss World, they only send 3 representatives in 58 years.
- Macedonia FYRO: Withdrew due to lack of funding and sponsorship.
- Nepal: The organiser of Miss Nepal pageant said it was postponing the contest scheduled for August 23, 2008 to unknown date, after the Maoist women’s wing, which has trained its sights on Miss Nepal, announced a Kathmandu Valley shutdown on the day to prevent the event.[101]
- Panama: Kathya Saldaña had problems with the regional organization and didn't have the South African visa at the time.
- Romania: Withdrew due to lack of funding and sponsorship.
- Slovenia: Withdrew due to lack of funding and sponsorship.
- Suriname: Mireille Nederbiel was not allowed to compete in Miss World by the decision of pageant organizers.
Contestants notes
- Egypt: Meriam George was replaced by Sanaa Ismail Hamed at the last minute for some undisclosed reasons.
- Hong Kong China: Miss Hong Kong 2008 winner Edelweiss Cheung will not compete for the crown of Miss World 2008. The 1st runner-up, Skye Chan, will take over.
- Philippines: Janina San Miguel was replaced by Bb. Pilipinas 1st runner-up, Danielle Castaño due to Janina's personal decision to give up her crown.
- Sweden: Jennifer Palm Lundberg placed third runner-up in the Miss World Sweden pageant, but won the title when each of the original top three placers declined the crown. This happened after arguments over the contract for the winner. It was revealed that the original winner was fired when her lawyer suggested her not to sign the contract written by the agency. The first and second runner-ups each declined the crown after arguments over the winning contract.
- Swaziland: Tiffany Simelane was found dead on August 17, 2009 after a suicide attempt that succeeded, Simelane was unplaced in Miss World.
- Thailand: Miss Thailand World was not held this year due to the death of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, so last year's 1st Runner-up, Ummarapas Jullakasian will represent Thailand in Miss World 2008.
- Vietnam: Miss Vietnam 2008 Trần Thị Thùy Dung is no longer allowed to participate in the pageant since the scandalous revelation that she did not graduate from high school. This also applied to all runner-ups and/or finalists who competed at the same pageant.[102] The second runner-up of Miss Universe Vietnam 2008, Dương Trương Thiên Lý, is the designated replacement.[103]
- Tansey Coetzee (South Africa) placed as a semifinalist in Miss Universe 2008. Athina James (Antigua & Barbuda), Alizée Poulicek (Belgium), Laura Tanguy (France), Alfina Nassyrova (Kazakhstan) and Olivia Carey (Mauritius) also competed at the same pageant, but they each did not place.
- Fatimih Dávila (Uruguay) has competed in the Miss Universe 2006 pageant, but did not place.
- Nicosia Lawson (Cayman Islands) competed in Miss Universe 2009, but did not place.
- Christina Trejo (Aruba), Linda Wikstedt (Finland), Anagabriela Espinoza (Mexico), and Chloe-Beth Morgan (Wales), represented as United Kingdom competed in Miss International 2009. Mexico won the title while United Kingdom was 2nd runner-up, Finland placed as a semifinalist.
- Tamara Almeida (Brazil) placed as the first runner-up at Miss Maja Mundial 2006, and the second runner-up at Miss Tourism Queen International 2007. But in Miss TQI, she represented a special region, Fernando de Noronha, a Brazilian archipelago. Geisha Montes (Dominican Republic) also competed in this pageant, but did not place.[104]
- Hannelly Quintero (Venezuela) placed among the Top 5 finalists in Reina Hispanoamericana 2007 and competes at Miss Intercontinental 2009.[105]
- Nataly Chilet (Chile) placed among the Top 8 finalists in Miss Earth 2005, and was a Top 6 finalist in Miss Continente Americano 2007.
- Gabriela Zavala (Honduras) placed among the Top 8 finalists in Miss Earth 2004.
- Élodie Delor (Martinique) placed among the Top 16 semifinalists in Miss Earth 2007.
References
External links