Miss Universe 2011 crown goes to Miss Angola, Leila Lopes

In a live telecast that reach over a billion viewers around the world, Miss Angola, Leila Lopes 25, was crowned Miss Universe 2011 on Monday at the Creditcard Hall in Sao Paulo, Brasil, defeating off the competition from 89 contestants.

The venue was fully booked, Lopes dressed in a beige gown impressed judges with her catwalk that was out of this world and also by highlighting with in Portuguese the importance about family values.

She was followed by Miss Ukraine Olesya Stefanko while Miss Brazil Priscila Machado was the second runner-up the third runner-up went to Miss Philippines Shacey Supsup and Miss China , Luo Zilin rounded up the top five at the 60th Anniversary of this beauty pageant, considered by the experts as the most significant pageant in the world.

Leila Lopes replaces Miss Universe Ximena Navarrete of Mexico who won the title in 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As part of her winning she will get a luxury New York apartment with living expenses, a one-year scholarship to the New York Film Academy, jewelry, clothes, shoes and an undisclosed sum of money. Leila will be sharing the apartment with Alyssa Campanella Miss USA 2011 and Danielle Doty Miss Teen USA 2011

The best in swimsuit were Misses Australia, Bahamas, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Curacao, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Perú, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, USA, Ukraine and Venezuela. Venezuela's Vanessa Goncalves clearly has the best body.

The most beautiful gowns were worn by Misses Angola, Aruba, Bahamas, Bolivia, Cayman Islands, China, Egypt, Estonia, Ghana, Israel, Kosovo, Malaysia, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Ukraine, Venezuela and USA. There's no question that the gown worn by Miss Puerto Rico, designed by Puerto Rican designer Harry Robles, was the conqueror.

The judges of the event included; Amelia Vega, Helios Castroneves, Connie Chung,; Isabeli Fontana; Vivica Fox, Adrienne Maloof, Lea Salonga, Farouk Shami, Italo Zanzi

The evening's hosts, Natalie Morales a news anchor for NBC’s “Today” and Andy Cohen the host and executive producer of “Watch What Happens: Live," at Bravo, displayed genuine chemistry as they kept the action flowing. Ms. Morales kept pace with the contestants, changing dresses three times, while Mr. Cohen remained sharp and cheery trough the entire event.

The commentators of the event were Style Network’s “How Do I Look” Jeannie Mai and Shandi Finnessy, Miss USA 2004, Jeannie and Shandi provided skybox fashion commentaries throughout the LIVE telecast.

Swimsuit Competition

Brazilian native pop singer Claudia Leitte turns the heat up throughout the performance of her new single “Locomotion Batucada” during the swimsuit competition.

Evening Gowns
Accompanied by Brazilian singer and song writer Babel Gilberto, who added a touch of bossa nova  to the ambience, singing her single hit “Close Your Eyes” the contestants lit up the night in their evening gowns. Continuing in her winning ways Miss angola shone brightest in a beige evening gown she scored highest with an 8.913

The Miss Congeniality 2011 award went to Miss Montenegro, Nikolina Lončar and the Miss Photogenic 2011 award went to Miss Sweden, Ronnia Fornstedt 

The best National Costume went to Miss Panama Sheldry Sáez

The 16 Semi-Finalists:
- Miss France, Laury Thilleman, 20

- Miss Kosovo, Afërdita Dreshaj, 25
- Miss Colombia, Catalina Robayo, 22
- Miss China, Luo Zilin, 24
- Miss Angola, Leila Lopes 25
- Miss Australia,  Scherri-Lee Biggs, 20
- Miss Puerto Rico, Viviana Ortiz 24
- Miss Brazil, Priscila Machado 25
- Miss Netherlands, Kelly Weekers, 21
- Miss USA, Alyssa Campanella 21
- Miss Ukraine, Olesya Stefanko
- Miss Panama, Sheldry Sáez, 19
- Miss Costa Rica, (Johanna Solano, 18
- Miss Portugal, Laura Gonçalves, 22
- Miss Philippines, Shamcey Supsup, 25
- Miss Venezuela, Vanessa Gonçalves, 25

Things that you can do by wearing the Miss Universe Crown by Ximena Navarrete

Ximena Navarrete and Fadil Berisha on Ximenas last shooting of her reign



It's amazing how you can change someone's life, how people listen to you and how you can make a difference. For me, getting to different countries with business men and government people, people who have the means to help and provide money to organizations, among other things, and tell them to help us because things are happening and be that messenger is best time than I could spend.

"I never imagined I could talk with the presidents prime ministers or governors, to help change situations and these are things that the band and the crown confer to you. When people see you when you feel like they listening to you, this power you have to say something good and change something, is the most valuable things you can give to the people.

For a year, Ximena bear both symbols and she said that is why she was motivated to continue despite the long hours of work and traveling.

"It's amazing, is a phenomenon that is created when people work for Miss Universe. Start the day smiling to people and this stir something positive, that motto has motivated me a lot and obviously I know the pride that I could give to my country just by wearing that crown. What I've discovered is the power of the crown and the sash to do something positive in the world, she said.

Work for organizations that fight AIDS was the leading work of Navarrete this year, work for which from the first day of reign had to be prepared so she can provide the correct information.

"Since I came to New York in addition to the interviews that I had to do, I started my course on HIV. You do not know how much I learned and to do so I get information to help more people because it’s just not enough when you have the band and the crown, now I can continue to do my job for my beloved country Mexico.

"HIV was the main topic (from her job as Miss Universe), but it worth it I will still be working with people with cancer, with orphans and with the Operation Smile Organization on the near future.

Ximena Navarrete on the final road of her reign as Miss Universe 2010

Ximena Navarrete is about to finish a very busy year as Miss Universe 2010, for those who think that being a beauty queen is an easy job, you better think it twice. The girl that is designated as Miss Universe has a very complex job, she has to travel 90% of the time expending several hours in different airports of the world and she barely sleeps. When she comes down the plane she has to go straight to the wardrobe, hair and makeup specialist to look gorgeous in front of the cameras. She has to meet different personalities like executives, politicians and important people in the assistance organizations and she cannot look tired or grumpy, she have to answer all their questions politely and with knowledge of the subject, she have to prepare and read about the culture of that nation or organization before she lands in a foreign country; what a job!

Miss Universe travels an estimated 250,000 miles each year visiting dozens of countries.

Ximena travel all the time to be part of different charitable organizations or visiting different institutions, making media appearances, she had a 24/7 very demanding job, just this last month she visit 5 different countries and very soon she will make her last appearance as Miss Universe 2010 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, this coming September the 12th

She will be very happy to go back to her home town in Guadalajara, Mexico and be embraced by her friends and family.

Fadil Berisha the official photographer for the Miss Universe Organization just comment on Ximena, saying that this last year he expend a lot of time with Ximena and he thinks that she is the most professional and delightful Miss Universe that he ever work with, and that it will be very hard to find a girl with that joyful personality and so committed to her career.

Ximena will have her last runway as Miss Universe and she will be handing the crown to her successor, Miss Universe 2011, but we will remember this beautiful woman for the years to come for her big smile and incomparable attitude.

On the road to Sao Paulo Miss Universe 2011

Just a few weeks for the 60Th anniversary of the Miss Universe Pageant

2011 marks the 60Th anniversary of MISS UNIVERSE and MISS USA pageants, which began in 1952 as concurrent events in Long Beach, California. The competitions moved to Miami Beach, Florida in 1960, and the broadcast tradition began on the CBS Television Networks. In 1965, the two competitions became separate live television specials, and since 1972 have been telecast from exotic locations around the globe.

The contestants for the 2011 Miss Universe Pageant will start to arrive in Sao Paulo Brazil on the 21st of August.

The celebration will be full of surprises the Organization has invited quite a few former Miss Universe title holders, we are waiting to hear from Paula M. Shugart the MUO President to confirm how many of them will be traveling to Sao Paulo for the festivities.

The Organization is also confirming the participation of 89 different countries. The 89 contestants will be traveling to different locations in Brazil doing presentations to promote this beautiful country; the calendar of events will be as follow:

August 21-23: Arrivals
August 24: Welcome Event
August 26: Kandy Wrappers Pool Party (Hilton Sao Paulo)
August 29: National Gift Auction (Hilton Sao Paulo)
September 3: National Costume Show (Hilton Sao Paulo)
September 6: Lux Fashion Show at Morumbi Shopping Mall
September 8: Presentation Show at Credicard Hall
September 10: Miss Universe title holders’ reunion
September 12: Dress Rehearsal, Live Telecast of Miss Universe 2011, Credicard Hall and Coronation Ball, Hilton Sao Paulo

In this occasion Ximena Navarrete the current Miss Universe from Mexico, will be crowning her successor in a live telecast which will be broadcasted to more than 190 countries around the world by the National Broadcasting Company NBC and Telemundo Networks reaching an audience over one billion viewers, the Miss Universe Organization is expecting an increase in its audience from last year.

Satellite developments in the 1970s allowed the MISS UNIVERSE competition to travel outside the United States, and in 1972, it was telecast live, via satellite, for the first time from the Cerromar Beach Hotel in Dorado, Puerto Rico. That event inaugurated a series of annual television specials, which presented the culture and attractions of some of the most spectacular regions of the world to an international audience of hundreds of millions of people.

This time, Natalie Morales and Andy Cohen will be hosting the international telecast on Sunday September 12th

We will be following all the contestants through their presentation events and report to you everything that is happening behind the scenes.

Stay Tuned.

On the road to Sao Paulo Miss Universe 2011, an album at Flickr.

Ximena Navarrete Miss Universe 2010 starts her trip to the Miss Universe Pageant Here are some captions and video during her participation at the Guelaguetza festivities in Oaxaca Mexico