The 10 Most Beautiful Misses Universe

A few more days and a new Miss Universe will be chosen from a field of more than 80 candidates from around the world at the grand finals slated on June 1 (June 2, Manila Time) in Quito, Ecuador. Our bet, Maricar Balagtas, promised to bring home the country’s third Miss U crown (after Gloria Diaz in 1969 and Margie Moran in 1973).

Meanwhile, here’s an interesting Miss U trivia for beauty-watchers out there, culled by The STAR’s Allure’s Editorial Assistant Jerry Donato from the Internet – yes, the The 10 Most Beautiful Misses Universe picked in a survey by Global Beauties, Inc., with judges from America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. (Note: Only the ranking, not each candidate’s score, is included in the following list.)

The Top 10

1. Angela Visser (Holland/The Netherlands), 1989
2. Lara Dutta (India), 2000
3. Yvonne Ryding (Sweden), 1984
4. Denise Quinones (Puerto Rico), 2001
5. Sushmita Sen (India), 1994
6. Maritza Sayalero (Venezuela), 1979
7. Marta Vasconcelos (Brazil), 1968
8. Ieda Maria Vargas (Brazil), 1963
9. Marlene Schmidt (Germany), 1961
10. Barbara Palacios (Venezuela), 1986

* * *

And here’s how the rest of the Misses U are ranked:
11. Anne Marie Pohtamo (Finland), 1975
12. Wendy Fitzwilliam (Trinidad-Tobago), 1998
13. Dayanara Torres (Puerto Rico), 1993
14. Irene Saez (Venezuela), l981
15. Alicia Machado (Venezuela), 1996
16. Margaret Gardiner (South Africa), 1978
17. Cecilia Bolocco (Chile), 1987
18. Margareta Arvidson (Sweden), 1966
19. Christine Martel (France), 1953
20. Mona Grudt (Norway), 1990
21. Mpule Kwelagobe (Botswana), 1999
22. Michelle McLean (Namibia), 1992
23. Amparo Muñoz (Spain), 1974
24. Shawn Weatherly (USA), 1980
25. Janelle Commissiong (Trinidad-Tobago), 1977
26. Kerry Anne Wells (Australia), 1972
27. Porntip Nakhirunkanok (Thailand), 1988
28. Gladys Zender (Peru), 1957
29. Lorraine Downes (New Zealand), 1983
30. Brook Lee (USA), 1997
31. Kiriaki Corinna Tsopei (Greece), 1964
32. Apasra Hongsakula (Thailand), 1965
33. Armi Helene Kuusela (Finland), l952
34. Marisol Malaret (Puerto Rico), 1970
35. Sylvia Louise Hitchcock (USA), 1967
36. Lupita Jones (Mexico), l991
37. Rina Messinger (Israel), l976
38. Norma Nolan (Argentina), 1962
39. Luz Maria Zuloaga (Colombia), 1958
40. Gloria Diaz (Philippines), l969
41. Carrol Morris (USA), l956
42. Chelsi Smith (USA), 1995
43. Deborah Carthy-Deu (Puerto Rico), 1985
44. Maria Margarita Moran (Philippines), l973
45. Akiko Kojima (Japan), 1959
46. Karen Baldwin (Canada), 1982
47. Georgina Rizk (Lebanon), 1971
48. Miriam Stevenson (USA), 1954
49. Hillevi Rombin (Sweden), 1955
50. Linda Bement (USA), 1960

(Note: The survey was only until 2001, thus excluding 2002 Miss Universe Oxana Federova of Russia who was dethroned and replaced by Miss Panama Justine Pasek, and 2003 Miss Universe Amelia Vega of Dominican Republic.)

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)