Miss Earth 2005

New Miss Earth 2005 Alexandra Braun Waldeck from Venezuela, center, is flanked by Miss Earth-Air, Amell Santana from Dominican Republic, left, and Miss Earth-Water, Katarzyna Borowicz from Poland, during the coronation night as she bested 80 other contestants from around the world in suburban Manila, Philippines, on Sunday Oct. 23, 2005. Miss Earth is a privately-organized annual beauty contest that aims to promote public awareness of environmental protection issues and promote tourism. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

>>> All I can say is "Wow!". I am so happy with the results of the recently concluded Miss Earth pageant. Although I am disappointed that my favourite delegate Miss Puerto Rico, Vanessa de Roide, did not advance further from the top 8. I guess while watching the pageant, I had hoped that Puerto Rico would be in the final 4 instead of Jovana Marjanovic, Miss Serbia & Montenegro, who had a terrible time during the interviews.

>>> DOMINICAN REPUBLIC has just solidified its Neo-powerhouse status with the impressive Miss Earth 2005 performance courtesy of Amell Santana.

Miss World 2004 - 1st Runner-Up
Miss Universe 2005 - 2nd Runner-Up
Miss International 2005 - 1st Runner-Up
Miss Earth 2005 - 1st Runner-Up

I would like to add that it was finally time for Dominican Republic to shine in the Miss Earth pageant. I was rooting for 2002's Yilda Santana and 2003's Suanny Frontaan but both failed to make the semifinal cut.

>>> VENEZUELA and PUERTO RICO deserved their Best in Swimsuit and Long Gown awards. For the Swimsuit award, I was also rooting for Miss USA Amanda Kimmel. For the Long Gown award, I really didn't have any other favourite other than Vanessa de Roide. So it came as a shock to me that Puerto Rico did not advance to the top 4 considering that her performance in the Long Gown competition in the top 8 was simply amazing! Anyways, Vanessa did a superb job and I'm really happy for her. She was the first Miss Puerto Rico in Miss Earth to win an award and make the semifinal cut. Speaking of first times, Alexandra Braun has establish the same feat that Vanessa did for her country. Alexandra is the first Miss Venezuela to win Miss Earth, win a major award and make the semifinal cut. Kudos to VENEZUELA and PUERTO RICO!!!

>>> Was it just me or was Katarzyna Borowicz, Miss POLAND, really super ecstatic to be just a runner-up? Well, she may be just one of the few who really did not join the pageant to win. After all, a 3rd Runner-Up finish in Miss World and a 2nd Runner-Up finish in Miss Earth is a good enough feat in the beauty pageant world. I dare say also that based from the results of the recent Miss Polonia pageant, I'm bent on saying that Katarzyna might be the last of the Polish invasion of Miss Earth semifinals.

>>> Miss PHILIPPINES continues her country's streak in the Miss Earth semifinals. She is the fifth consecutive Filipina to be included in the semifinals. I think the Philippines will be a mainstay in the semifinals. This is their pageant after all.

>>> Miss CHILE, Nataly Chilet, winning the Miss Photogenic award is such a laugh trip!!! Although I find her really pretty, I just don't think she is photogenic enough to win this elusive award. I would have expected Venezuela, Puerto Rico, USA, Poland or Egypt to win this award.

>>> BRAZIL and EGYPT are the non-finalists who should have been in the semifinals. Isabella Chaves may not be as stunning as her 2 predecessors but she knows how to play her cards well. Elham Wagdi is a delight to look at and her performances were consistent. Both these ladies constitute my Miss Earth 2005 Injustice list.

>>> Miss BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, Sanja Susnja, has proven that her country can recover their already tainted name when it comes to Miss Earth. Many will remember that the beautiful (but biatch-y) Dzejla Glavovic won the Miss Earth 2002 crown only to be dethroned for not fulfilling her duties. Back then I recall that I was really saddened by this news because I was a fan of the beauty of Dzejla and I was happy that she has achieved a pageant feat for Bosnia & Herzegovina. For a while there, people thought that the country will be forever tainted by this unfortunate incident. But I'm glad Sanja has changed all that.

>>> Miss PARAGUAY, Tania Domanizcky, follows on the footsteps of Yanina Gonzalez but falls a few steps behind. I am a fan of this lady but I never thought she would do well in this year's Miss Earth because she has lost luster in the last couple of weeks. But I'm so happy she went as far as top 8. This just goes to should that real beauty is difficult to miss.

Miss Earth 2005: Venezuela Alexandra Braun

1st RU: Dominican Republic Amell Santana
2nd RU: Poland Katarzyna Borowicz
3rd RU: Serbia & Montenegro Jovana Marjanovic

FINALISTS:
Chile Nataly Chilet
Paraguay Tania Domanizcky
Puerto Rico Vanessa de Roide
USA Amanda Kimmel

SEMI-FINALISTS:
Bosnia & Herzegovina Sanja Susnja
Czech Republic Zuzana Stepanovska
Ecuador Cristina Reyes
El Salvador Irma Dimas
Korea Hie Mi Yoo
Philippines Genebelle Raagas
Russia Tatyana Yamova
Tanzania Rehema Sudi