Miss World 1978

Miss World 1978
Miss World 1978 Titlecard
Date	16 November 1978
Presenters	Sacha Distel, Paul Burnett
Venue	Royal Albert Hall, London, UK
Broadcaster	BBC
Entrants	68
Placements	15
Debuts	Dominica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Withdraws	Bolivia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Panama, Papua New Guinea, South Africa
Returns	India, Italy, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Philippines, Singapore, Swaziland, Tunisia, US Virgin Islands
Winner	Silvana Suárez  Argentina

Miss World 1978, the 28th edition of the Miss World pageant, was held on 16 November 1978 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK. The winner was Silvana Suárez from Argentina. She was crowned by Miss World 1977, Mary Stavin of Sweden. First runner-up was Ossie Margareta Carlsson representing Sweden, second was Denise Coward from Australia, third was Martha Eugenia Ortiz of Mexico, and fourth was Gloria Valenciano from Spain.

Results

Countries and territories which sent delegates and results

Placements

Special awards

Contestants

Notes

Debuts

• Dominica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines competed in Miss World for the first time.

Returning countries

• Nigeria last competed in 1970.
• India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Philippines, Swaziland, and Tunisia last competed in 1975. India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Philippines, and Swaziland were the contestants who withdrew in two consecutive pageants, Miss World 1976, and 1977, due to a protest against South Africa's participation, consisting of one black and one white delegate.
• U.S. Virgin Islands last competed in 1976.
• Italy, Jamaica, and Singapore last competed in 1977. Even though Italy returned to Miss World pageant after the disqualification of its underaged contestant, Jamaica and Singapore were also the contestants who withdrew in previous year's Miss World, due to a protest against South Africa's participation.

Withdrawals and Nations not competing

• This is the first time that South Africa did not participate in Miss World due to an apartheid policy for 14 years.

Other notes

• Australia, Denise Ellen Coward's 2nd runner-up placing was the second highest in Australia's six-consecutive appearances in the semi-finals/finals throughout the seventies (second only to Karen Jo Pini, who was 1st runner-up in 1976). A successful Ford model, she married American TV actor John James. Together, they have a daughter who followed in Denise's footsteps, growing up to become a successful model and beauty winner in her own right: Laura James, winner of America's Next Top Model: Cycle 19.
• Spain, who placed 5th in Miss World 1978, failed to make into the semi-finals in Miss Universe 1979 in Perth, Western Australia, along with Ireland and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
• Austria, Costa Rica, and United Kingdom (representing Wales) failed to make into the semi-finals in Miss Universe 1978 in Acapulco, Mexico. Costa Rica won the award for Miss Photogenic. Belgium, who was the semi-finalist in Miss Universe 1978, failed to make into the Top 15 in Miss World.
• Bolivia from Miss Universe 1977, Guatemala from Miss Universe 1978, Lebanon, and Yugoslavia did not compete in Miss World. Yugoslavia arrived in London the day before the Miss World pageant, but was too late to participate.
• This is also the first time that the award for Miss Talent was given. Philippines, Louvette Monzon Hammond, won the award.
• Tunisia, Malek Nemlaghi, was disqualified at the time of her session when she refused to unveil her traditional Moslem yashmak for the T-shirt and shorts. After her disqualification, she changed her mind the next day, wore the outfit without the veil and was allowed to participate in Miss World.
• Costa Rica, Maribel Fernandez Garcia, failed to make into the semi-finals in Miss Universe 1978 in Acapulco, Mexico, but she won the award for Miss Photogenic. She currently lives in Mexico and then became a famous actress in Mexican film industry.
• United Kingdom, Elizabeth Ann Jones, was Miss Teenage Intercontinental 1977, she won as Miss England. The current Miss Intercontinental pageant used to be called Miss Teenage Intercontinental.
• 6 out of 15 countries which made it into the semifinals, were not in the semifinals last year: Costa Rica (1965), Sri Lanka (1970), India (1975), and Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela (1976).
• Sri Lanka placed for the fourth time, last time placing in 1970.
• Japan would compete in the 1983 Miss Universe pageant, she failed to place in that pageant also.
• Throughout the seventies, Australia produced nine out of ten placements, including one winner in 1972. The 2nd runner-up placement in 1978 was the third highest of the decade among Australia's entries.

External links

• Pageantopolis - Miss World 1978