Miss World 2005

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Miss World 2005
Miss World 2005 Titlecard
Date	December 10, 2005
Presenters	Tim Vincent, Angela Chow
Entertainment	Alexander O’Neal, Beijing Singing & Dancing Theatre
Venue	Crown of Beauty Theatre, Sanya, China
Entrants	102
Placements	15
Debuts	Martinique, Mongolia
Withdraws	Angola, Antigua, Belarus, Cayman Islands, Chile, Curaçao, Egypt, Fiji Islands, Finland, Honduras, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Paraguay, Turks & Caicos, Zimbabwe
Returns	American Virgin Islands, Congo Democratic Republic, Guatemala, Indonesia, Liberia, Malawi, Swaziland, Uruguay
Winner	Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir  Iceland

Miss World 2005, the 55th Miss World pageant was held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, People's Republic of China on December 10, 2005. Nine former Miss World titleholders and chairwoman of Miss World Organization Julia Morley judged the pageant. Miss World 2004 María Julia Mantilla of Peru crowned her successor Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir of Iceland. 102 contestants from all over the world competed for the crown. The six "Regional Queens" were chosen by the judges while the twelve semi-finalists were determined by public or viewer votes through the Internet and as well as telephone and SMS voting. Three contestants were "Fast Tracked" to the semifinals with the remaining twelve determined by the global vote. The contestants also paid a visit to Wenzhou, Beijing and Shanghai.

Areas of competition

• All contestants competed in three "fast track" events, Beach Beauty, Miss Talent, and Beauty With a Purpose contests. The winner of each competition immediately became one of the fifteen pageant semifinalists.
• Two other delegates were picked from each continental zone to complete the top fifteen. The judges then selected the six final Regional Winners who participated in the last round of competition. In the end, the Runners-up of Miss World 2005 were announced first, followed by the winner of the Miss World 2005 crown.

Judges

A panel of ten illustrious personalities chose Miss World 2005.

• Julia Morley - executive chairwoman of Miss World Organization
• Denise Perrier - Miss World 1953 from France
• Ann Sydney - Miss World 1964 from United Kingdom
• Lucia Petterle - Miss World 1971 from Brazil
• Wilnelia Merced - Miss World 1975 from Puerto Rico
• Mariasela Álvarez - Miss World 1982 from Dominican Republic
• Julia Kourotchkina - Miss World 1992 from Russia
• Diana Hayden - Miss World 1997 from India
• Agbani Darego - Miss World 2001 from Nigeria
• Azra Akın - Miss World 2002 from Turkey

Results

Placements

Countries and territories which sent delegates and results.

Continental Queens

• Asia Pacific: Oh Eun-young (Korea)
• Northern Europe: Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir (Iceland)
• Southern Europe: Sofia Bruscoli (Italy)
• Caribbean: Ingrid Marie Rivera (Puerto Rico)
• Americas: Dafne Molina (Mexico)
• Africa: Nancy Sumari (Tanzania)

Fast Track Events

Beach Beauty

• Winner: Russia
• 1st runner-up: Moldova
• 2nd runner-up: Mexico
• Top 5 finalists: Canada, Iceland
• Top 19 semifinalists: Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Hong Kong China, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Lebanon, New Zealand, Philippines, Slovenia, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Wales

Miss Talent

• Winner: American Virgin Islands
• Top 5 finalists: Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Japan
• Top 16 semi-finalists:
  • Best Singing Act Performance: (1) American Virgin Islands, (2) Greece, (3) Slovenia
  • Best Original Performance: (1) Italy, (2) Korea, (3) (TIE) Costa Rica, and Uganda
  • Best Traditional Dance Performance: (1) Canada, (2) Scotland, (3) People's Republic of China
  • Best Musical Act Performance: (1) Japan, (2) Bulgaria, (3) Trinidad & Tobago
  • Best Dance Performance: (1) Czech Republic, (2) Jamaica, (3) Iceland

Beauty With a Purpose

• Winner: Oh Eun-young (Korea)

Miss Sports

• Winner: Asia Pacific
  • 1st runner-up: Caribbean
  • 2nd runner-up: Southern Europe

^The sports award was given to a continental group rather than an individual.

Special Award

• Best World Dress Designer: Hande Subasi (Turkey)

Contestants

Trivia

Debuts

• Martinique and Mongolia competed in Miss World for the first time.

Returning countries and territories

• Indonesia last competed in 1983 after the local government lifted the ban for contestants to compete in international pageants.
• Congo Democratic Republic last competed in 1985 (as Zaire).
• Liberia last competed in 1999.
• Malawi last competed in 2001.
• American Virgin Islands last competed in 2002.
• Guatemala, Swaziland and Uruguay last competed in 2003.

Withdraws and nations that did not compete

• Angola, Egypt (Meriam George), and Finland (Saana Johanna Antilla) withdrew at the very last minute for personal reasons.
• Kazakhstan (Dina Nuraliyeva) supposedly competed in Miss World but never arrived at the very last moment. Instead, she decided to compete in Miss Universe the following year, while her 1st Runner-Up, Sabina Chukayeva, competed in Miss World at that same year. Nuraliyeva competed in Miss Universe 2006, being the first representative of this country in this pageant. Later, she had been chosen to represent in Miss World 2009 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• Belarus, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Honduras, Lithuania and Zimbabwe did not compete in Miss World because of scheduling conflicts and sponsorship issues.
• Paraguay lost its Miss World Franchise, and was unable to send a delegate.

Country Changes

• Zaire changed its name to Congo Democratic Republic.

Other Notes

• Costa Rica (Leonora Jiménez), who was the winner of Miss Asia Pacific International 2005 pageant, relinquished her title in order to compete in Miss World.
• Netherlands (Monique Plat) was not the original winner of Miss Netherlands. She was 1st runner-up Miss Universe Netherlands 2005; therefore, there was no Miss World Netherlands pageant 2005.
• Philippines (Carlene Aguilar) is the third contestant from her country to compete in a previous international pageant. She was a semi-finalist in the first annual Miss Earth pageant in 2001. This is marked the fourth time in a row the Philippines landed in the semi-finals.
• 6 contestants competed in Miss Universe 2005, Miss Universe 2006, and Miss Universe 2008.
  • France (Cindy Fabre), and Norway (Helene Tråsavik) competed in Miss Universe 2005. France failed to make into the semi-finals, while Norway had made the Top 15 Semi-Finals.
  • Belgium (Tatiana Silva), and Switzerland (Lauriane Gilliéron) competed in Miss Universe 2006. Belgium failed to make into the semi-finals, while Switzerland placed as 2nd runner-up, and brought the record for her country's highest placement in the Miss Universe.
  • Puerto Rico (Ingrid Marie Rivera) and Singapore (Shenise Wong) competed in Miss Universe 2008. Puerto Rico is the third Puerto Rican contestant from Miss World to compete in Miss Universe, following the footsteps of Ana Rosa Brito (Miss World Puerto Rico 1993), and Joyce Giraud (Miss World Puerto Rico 1994). Like Puerto Rico, Singapore was the first Singaporean to compete in three major international pageants and one continental pageant. She previously competed in Miss International 2002, and Miss Asia-Pacific 1999. Both failed to make into the top 15.
• The 2005 pageant was judged by an all Miss World panel together with Miss World Organization's Chairwoman Julia Morley.
• For the first time, People's Republic of China failed to make it into the semi-finals held in the host country.
• 12 out of 15 countries which made it into the semifinals, were not in the semifinals last year: Iceland (1988), American Virgin Islands (1989), Korea (1995), South Africa and Spain (2001), Italy (2002), and Canada, India, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico (2003). Northern Ireland and Tanzania had made into the semi-finals for the first time. Northern Ireland debuted in 2000, while Tanzania in 1967.
• Miss World 1983 finalist Unnur Steinsson of Iceland was three months pregnant during the pageant (finals held on Nov. 17, 1983) which violated the pageant’s rules and warranted disqualification. However, this was not found out until after the pageant. Her baby, born on May 25, 1984 and named Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir, would be crowned as Miss World and Miss World-Northern Europe in 2005. Steinsson also competed in the Miss Young International 1980 held in Manila and was named Miss Mabuhay (Friendship), Miss Punctual and third runner-up. She was also Iceland’s delegate in the Miss Universe 1983 pageant. Mother and daughter both became movie actresses.

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