Miss World 1979
| Miss World 1979 |
| Date |
15 November 1979 |
| Presenters |
Sacha Distel and Esther Rantzen |
| Venue |
Royal Albert Hall, London, England, United Kingdom |
| Broadcaster |
BBC |
| Entrants |
69 |
| Debuts |
Lesotho |
| Withdraws |
Curaçao, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Tunisia, and Venezuela |
| Returns |
Bolivia, Guatemala, Lebanon, Panama, and Portugal |
| Winner |
Gina Swainson
Bermuda |
| Personality |
Anne-Marie Franke
Guam |
| Photogenic |
Karin Zorn
Austria |
Miss World 1979, the 29th Miss World pageant, was held on November 15, 1979 in the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK. The winner was Gina Swainson from Bermuda. First runner-up was Carolyn Seaward representing the United Kingdom, second was Debbie Campbell from Jamaica, third was Jodie Day of Australia, and fourth was Barbara Meyer from Switzerland.
Results
| Final results |
Contestant |
| Miss World 1979 |
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| 1st Runner-up |
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| 2nd Runner-up |
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| 3rd Runner-up |
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| 4th Runner-up |
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| Top 7 Finalists |
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| Top 15 Semifinalists |
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Special awards
- Personality: Anne-Marie Franke (Guam)
- Photogenic: Karin Zorn (Austria)
Contestants
Trivia
Returning countries and Debuts
- Lesotho competed in Miss World for the first time.
- Portugal last competed in 1973.
- Guatemala last competed in 1976.
- Bolivia, Lebanon, and Panama last competed in 1977.
Withdrawals and Nations not competing
- Venezuela, Tatiana Capote was disqualified in Miss World 1979 when one of her breasts slipped from the side during the dress rehearsal.
Other notes
- Bermuda and United Kingdom placed as 1st and 2nd runner-ups in Miss Universe 1979 which was held in Perth, Western Australia.
- Germany, Andrea Hontschik made into the semi-finals in both Miss Universe and Miss World at the same year. Austria, Karin Zorn, who failed to put her through the semi-finals in Miss Universe 1979 in Perth four months before, made into the semi-finals in Miss World and then placed as finalist.
- Other than Austria, Bermuda, Germany, and United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras and Mauritius also competed in Miss Universe four months before.
- Ireland, Paraguay and Tahiti competed in Miss Universe 1980 in Seoul. Tahiti made into the semi-finals.
- Virgin Islands, Jasmine Olivia Turner, competed in Miss Universe 1986.
- Western Samoa, Danira Leilani Schwalger, was half-Maori and half-New Zealander, and was also the sister of Lenita Marian Schwalger who competed in Miss Universe 1981 in New York.
- Isle of Man, Kathleen Mary Craig, was the eldest of Craig sisters who competed in Miss World.
- 8 out of 15 countries which made it into the semifinals, were not in the semifinals last year: Malaysia (1963), Uruguay (1975), Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago (1976), and Brazil and Germany (1977). Bermuda and Panama made into the semi-finals for the first time in Miss World. The former debuted in 1971, while the latter in 1967. Ultimately, Bermuda won the title.
External Sources