Czech Her Out!

WARSAW: Miss Czech Republic Tatana Kucharova, 18, won the Miss World 2006 title here on Saturday night.

Miss Romania Ioana Valentina Boitor was the first runner-up and Miss Australia Sabrina Houssami was second runner-up.

Tatana was born in Trnava and grew up in Opocno.

A high school student, her ambition is to attend university, graduate, have a modelling career that she hopes will enable her to travel; and to be a good parent one day.

Her hobbies are tennis, volleyball, horse riding, ice-skating and many other sports. She enjoys dance and listening to music with a nice melody.

Tatana likes to spend time with her many pets, she has: cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, a bird and a turtle.

Her favourite food is chicken.

Her motto is ‘Always be an optimist’.

India’s entrant was Mumbai-born Natasha, with a Bachelors degree in Business Management, helped her father in the garment export business and is pursuing a career in modelling.

The 104 contenders for the crown performed choreographed routines, responded to question-and-answer sessions and posed in bathing suits and evening dress during the gala celebration at Warsaw's stately Palace of Culture that was "gifted" to Poland by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

In its 56th year, Miss World claims to be the globe's largest beauty contest, edging out rival organisation Miss Universe.

Miss Iceland's Unnur Birna Vilhajalmsdottir was Miss World 2005 in China.
In a last minute twist, the judges were unable to decide between contestants in the Asia Pacific continental group, so three girls, including Miss India, from that group went through to the final 17 semi finalists, not the proposed 16.

Ghana was announced as the winner of the Beauty With A Purpose Award.

A TV spectacular with 104 contestants was hosted by top Chinese TV presenter Angela Chow and British host Tim Vincent, both of whom make a return to the Miss World stage after carrying last year’s show. They were joined by leading Polish TV presenter Grazyna Torbicka.

Topnotch musical entertainment at the Miss World 2006 Final came in the form of internationally-successful Irish band Westlife and Bee Gees singing legend Robin Gibb. The pop opera quartet Amici also performed. The line-up of official judges at the Miss World 2006 Final was: Julia Morley, Miss World Organisation Chairman and Chairman of the Judges; Aneta Kreglicka, Poland’s only former Miss World, who held the title in 1989; Denise van Outen Prolific actress and TV presenter known for her style and personality; Karan Johar, Indian director known worldwide for his award winning movies; Dame Kelly Holmes, multi-Olympic gold medallist and British heroine, Dame Kelly Holmes; Krish Naidoo, Miss World Organisation International Ambassador; Louis Walsh, Irish mastermind behind some of the world’s leading pop acts; Mike Dixon, West End and Broadway award-winner musical director; Wilnelia Forsyth, Puerto Rican Miss World and designer of the Miss World beachwear range.

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I, sadly, was not able to watch this show. I dunno if ever they will air this on the US East Coast on any of its channels on cable. But when I saw the results online, I was a little happy.

Hehe, just a little happy because first, I always want a contestant from a non-pageant patty country to win in these beauty pageants, ie. please no more Venezuela, Puerto Rico or India. Second, I did have Miss Czech Republic as one of my top bets.

Why I don't like the results so much is that, first, another European wins Miss World. For the past 5 years, 4 European ladies have won the title. Yeah you can blame it to the fact that this pageant is based in London, UK. Second of all, I had hoped that if ever they would crown another European, I wold have chosen Miss Romania (eventual 1st RU) to be the winner. Miss Romania has much most elegance and beauty than Miss Czech Republic. Plus Romania is also not a pageant patty country.

But well, I guess I should be happy about the results. I had thought that Miss Venezuela, Federica Guzman, winning the Beach Beauty award would signal a new Miss World for Venezuela, but thank god this did not happen. I would have picked her though as Miss World Americas and not that no-good Miss Brazil. I guess the only reason why Brazil was given the Miss World Americas crown is that for the first time in like forever, a separate pageant was held to crown the Brazilian delegate for Miss World (in the other years, the second placer in the National Pageant would be sent to Miss World).

I'm really bummed over the fact that so far, Asia has only been successful in Miss World because of India (5 winners). When will see a Miss World from the Far East like Japan, China or the Philippines? Is this because the owners are British that's why their winners are somewhat anti-Asian? Well, India should be an exception since they were under British rule for quite some time.