Russian beauty crowned Miss World
15 December 2008
Kseniya Sukhinovia from Russia was crowned Miss World at a glittering ceremony at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on the weekend.
With an amazing stage and lighting, and performances from British punk rockers McFly and pop sensation Alisha Dixon, the 58th Miss World Final was one of the most spectacular to date.
The TV spectacular was hosted by top Chinese TV presenter Angela Chow, presenting Miss World for the sixth year in succession, alongside South African celebrity Tumisho Masha.
The show, broadcast live to over 2-billion television viewers in 187 countries, told the story of the contestants' stay in South Africa, with video clips of their activities, including a safari in Mpumalanga province and a trip to Durban's dazzling Indian Ocean beaches.
The 2008 Miss World Festival saw 109 of the world's most beautiful women spending an unforgettable month in South Africa.
But there could only be one winner, and the applause rang out in the packed Sandton Convention Centre as Julia Morley, chairman of the Miss World Organisation and of the international panel of judges, announced the winner's name.
Sukhoinova's smile spoke a thousand words as she was crowned by last year's Miss World, Zilin Zhang of China.
India's Parvathay Omanakuttan was first runner-up, and Trinidad and Tobago's Gabrielle Walcott second runner-up.
The new Miss World had also won the contest's top model award and was third in the swimsuit competition. She was a crowd favourite - though not as popular as Miss South Africa Tansey Coetzee, who made it in the final five.
The final evening opened with 14 minutes of African music and dance and the contestants walking on to stage garbed in strictly South African couture designs, with accessories and jewellery made by some 30 local fashion designers and 20 crafters.
Participating designers included African Mosaique, Clive Rundle, Palesa Mokubung, David Tlale, Marianne Fassler, Fred Eboka, Gavin Rajah, Machere Pooe, Julian, and Thula Sindi.
The panel of judges included former Miss South Africa and businesswoman Basetsana Khumalo and African Fashion International chairperson Precious Motsepe.
Johannesburg Tourism Company CEO Lindiwe Mahlangu said the pageant had demonstrated the city's ability to handle mega-events ahead of the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 Fifa World Cup.
Johannesburg beat Seoul, London, Hong Kong and China's San Yang Island to win the hosting rights to the event after it was moved from Kiev over fears of political instability in Ukraine's neighbouring South Ossetia and Russia.
South Africa has hosted the event successfully on three previous occasions - in 1992, 1995 and 2001, at the Sun City entertainment and casino resort in North West province.
SAinfo reporter and BuaNews
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