71ST MISS UNIVERSE: AT THE HOMESTRETCH (CONCLUSION)

SINGAPORE - Carissa Yap.  She makes a striking look with her bangs but otherwise onstage she's less-than-polished.  Based on interview snippets I saw she seems to be a strong communicator, but will that be enough to make her in serious contention for the Top 16.

SLOVAK REPUBLIC - Karolina Michálčiková.  She is part of a contingent of very pretty Europeans this year.  She proves to be a stronger than expected stage performer, so I'll label her an underrated gem.

SOUTH AFRICA - Ndavi Nokeri.  There are some pageant fans who observe she has a passing resemblance to pop superstar Rihanna.  Her styling decisions may polarize pageant fans and pundits but she does deliver standout impact that she is likely to sustain this country's very strong finish in this pageant.*12  I think she's a shoo-in for the Top 16 with a possible play for the Final Five.

*12  Since Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (now Tebow)'s win in 2017, this country never finished below Top Three with the exception of the 69th edition (i.e., 2020) when it shockingly missed the final cut.

SPAIN - Alicia Faube.  Prior to her New Orleans arrival, many pageant fans and pundits regard her as having an inside track for the Top 16, but buzz fizzled when she arrived.  Though her performance in the preliminary competition was actually solid, many (including myself) realize she was clearly overshadowed and she only has an outside shot of making the Top 16 at most.

SWITZERLAND - Alia Guindi.  This blonde's attractive and is generally solid on stage, but she is overshadowed by a bevy of gorgeous faces from her continent.

THAILAND - Anna Suengam-iam.  She delivered a very sleek and impeccable performance during the preliminary competition that it looks like she's one of the locks for the Top 16, and there are many fans buzzing that she would make serious inroads into the Final Five.  Admittedly she did outperform PHILIPPINES, but let's see how it all figures when they compete in the semifinal rounds.

THE BAHAMAS - Angel Cartwright.  She may be conventionally prettier than her predecessor, Chantel O'Brien, who delivered this country's breakthrough last year, but in terms of stage presence she's generally low wattage, so it's likely back to clapping for this country.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - Tya Jané Ramey.  She's actually in the same boat as PANAMA, though she only placed Top 40 at Miss World 2019 but still managed to earn a continental title as Miss World - Caribbean as her continental colleague, Jamaica's Toni-Ann Singh, won Miss World.  She garnered major buzz for her sterling performance during the preliminary competition that she could possibly pull off a Top 16 finish.  She may not be conventionally pretty, but based on her performance, she also is another prime example of the "Beautifully Confident" motto.

TURKIYE - Aleyna Sirin.  She's attractive but definitely not as polished as other contenders out there.  In a less competitive year she would be deemed a solid contender but with this stratified standard she is close to taking up the rear.

UKRAINE - Viktoria Apanasenko.  This comely blonde may have fluctuating buzz, initially being regarded as a possible Top 16 contender, then losing buzz when she set foot in New Orleans and then because of her patriotic messages throughout her preliminary competition and national costume presentations, returning back as a possible Top 16 finisher.  I particularly like how she employed the colors of her country's flag (blue and yellow) as a flowing train during the evening gown round.

URUGUAY - Carla Romero.  See ARGENTINA, but even plainer.

U S A - R'Bonney Gabriel.  If I based my assessment on her facial beauty alone, I wouldn't peg this Texan of Filipina heritage as a front-runner.  But the drama she delivered during the preliminary competition brought a lot of impact that I now understand why there are fans and pundits who think she could indeed make a play for the Final Five and maybe even win it all.  

VENEZUELA - Amanda Dudamel.  May people are buzzing that she is the one to beat, and I agree with them, as I feel she possessed an abundance of charisma and she backs it up with an outgoing personality and promoting her advocacies.  Yes, there are some pageant fans and pundits who dislike her choice of gown during the preliminary competition but for me she delivered flash and impact in that number and that would be enough to still regard her as the one to beat.

VIETNAM - Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Châu.  Like THAILAND, she delivered an impeccable, impactful performance during the preliminary compatition that I feel she secured a slot in the Top 16 and may not need to win the popular vote to secure her slot.

With all 84 delegates accounted, allow me to trot out my leaderboard and here's how I feel they all pan out:

TOP CONTENDERS:  PHILIPPINES, PUERTO RICO, U S A, VENEZUELA

SHOO-INS:  CURACAO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, SOUTH AFRICA, THAILAND, VIETNAM

LIKELIEST:  ANGOLA, ARUBA, BAHRAIN, BRAZIL, CAMBODIA, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, FRANCE, GERMANY, GHANA, GREAT BRITAIN, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, ICELAND, INDIA, INDONESIA, ITALY, JAMAICA, LEBANON, MAURITIUS, MEXICO, NETHERLANDS, NIGERIA, PANAMA, PERU, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, UKRAINE, 

EXCELLENT:  ALBANIA, AUSTRALIA, BELGIUM, CAMEROON, CANADA, CROATIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, EQUATORIAL GUINEA, HAITI, JAPAN, KYRGYZSTAN, LAOS, MALTA, NAMIBIA, NORWAY,  POLAND, RUSSIA, SLOVAK REPUBLIC, 

VERY STRONG:  ARMENIA, BHUTAN, BOLIVIA, CHILE, EL SALVADOR, FINLAND, GREECE, KOSOVO, MALAYSIA, MYANMAR, NICARAGUA, PARAGUAY, SWITZERLAND, 

STRONG:  ARGENTINA, BELIZE, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, CHINA, COSTA RICA, KOREA, NEPAL, SAINT LUCIA, SEYCHELLES, SINGAPORE, THE BAHAMAS, TURKIYE, 

VERY GOOD:  BULGARIA, CAYMAN ISLANDS, URUGUAY

Now, my "Fearful" Forecast:

FINAL THREE:  PHILIPPINES, PUERTO RICO, VENEZUELA

FINAL FIVE:  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, U S A

TOP 16:  ANGOLA, COLOMBIA, CURACAO, GERMANY, ITALY, JAMAICA, SOUTH AFRICA, THAILAND, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, UKRAINE, VIETNAM

BUBBLING UNDER:  ARUBA, BAHRAIN, BRAZIL, CAMBODIA, ECUADOR, FRANCE, GHANA, GREAT BRITAIN, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, ICELAND, INDIA, INDONESIA, LEBANON, MAURITIUS, MEXICO, NETHERLANDS, NIGERIA, PANAMA, PERU, PORTUGAL, SPAIN

STRIKING DISTANCE:  ALBANIA, AUSTRALIA, BELGIUM, CAMEROON, CANADA, CROATIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, EQUATORIAL GUINEA, HAITI, JAPAN, KYRGYZSTAN, LAOS, MALTA, NAMIBIA, NORWAY,  POLAND, RUSSIA, SLOVAK REPUBLIC, 

It looks like it's going to be a battle between those who fit the former "Confidently Beautiful" motto spearheaded by PHILIPPINES (Celeste Cortesi) and VENEZUELA (Amanda Dudamel) and including the likes of COLOMBIA (Maria Fernanda Aristizabla), CURACAO (Gabriela Dos Santos), DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (Andreina Martinez), GERMANY (Soraya Kohlmann), ITALY (Virginia Stablum), THAILAND (Anna Sueang-iam), UKRAINE (Viktoria Apanasenko), and VIETNAM (Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau), or would we see the camp of the new "Beautifully Confident" motto prevail spearheaded by PUERTO RICO (Ashley Cariño) and U S A (R'Bonney Gabriel) and featuring the likes of BRAZIL (Mia Mamede), GREAT BRITAIN (Noky Simbani), MEXICO (Irma Miranda), PANAMA (Solaris Barba), and TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (Tya Jane Ramey).  Or we feature ladies who can vacillate between the two like ANGOLA (Swelia Da Silva Antonio), JAMAICA (Toshami Calvin) and SOUTH AFRICA (Ndavi Nokere).  Boy, there are a lot of compelling choices this year that I'm not that confident that I'll get the roster right.  Let's hope for a competition as colorful and dramatic as the host city of New Orleans.

JUST ME!

JOSEPH

Are we going for Confidently Beautiful?  (L-R) PHILIPPINES (Celeste Cortesi) and VENEZUELA (Amanda Dudamel)

Or Beautifully Confident?  (L-R)  U S A (R'Bonney Gabriel) and PUERTORICO (Ashley Carino)

71ST MISS UNIVERSE: AT THE HOMESTRETCH (PART 5)

NETHERLANDS - Ona Moody.  In a parallel to batch 2004, it seems this lady is channeling Israel's Gal Gadot,*8 especially with her mass of wavy curls.  She's not as conventionally pretty as Gal, though, but she makes up for it with a competitive drive which Gal deliberately lacked*9 during her stint.  Her styling was on point, but her biggest highlight was her cheeky national costume, as she was dressed as a Stroopwafel, a famous waffle-like cookie from this country.

*8  It turns out Gal became the most famous alumni out of batch 2004, as she garnered global fame and acclaim for playing Wonder Woman in multiple movies in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and continuing to have a high profile Hollywood career because of that.

*9  Gal later recounted that she in a way sabotaged her prospects during her Miss Universe stint as she had no intention of winning.

Gal Gadot at Miss Universe 2004

NICARAGUA - Norma Huembes.  Of the Latina blondes in this year's batch, she's one of those who perform solidly but did not generate much impact.

NIGERIA - Hannah Inbhogbe.  She started garnering heavy buzz when she set foot in New Orleans and she proved she is putting up a good fight amidst a formidable batch as she performed at a high level in the preliminary competition.  It is very crowded pack scrambling for one of the Top 16 slots but this lady is in good contention.

NORWAY - Ida Hauan.  She may not be as sleek as many of her competitors, but she exudes a gorgeous, refreshing vibe that it's conceivable she could charm the selection committee and pull off a sleeper surprise, almost similar  to the way her counterpart at Miss Earth, Lilly Sødal, did late last November for a Top 20 placement.

PANAMA - Solaris Barba.  She was noted for finishing at the Top 12 at Miss World 2018 and garnering the Miss World - Americas title*10.  It seems the qualities that helped her deliver that surprising but lofty finish at Miss World are very much in play here, but with this lady adjusting well with this pageant's requirements as she proved to have strong stage presence and catwalk skills.

*10  Since 2014, the winner of Miss World does not get a Continental title and was instead conferred to the next highest ranked contestant.  In this case, since the main winner was Mexico's Vanessa Ponce de Leon, Solaris earned the continental title.

PARAGUAY - Lia Ashmore.  See NICARAGUA, but with a sleeker image.

PERU - Alessia Rovegno.  She's been highly touted by many pageant fans and pundits, and many deemed her performance during the preliminary competition Top 16 worthy.  Though I agree she performed at a high level, my attention tends to be focused towards other contenders even if I won't object if she was announced as a semifinalist.

PHILIPPINES - Celeste Cortesi.  She possesses this beauty and charisma that is very undeniable, that even if many Filipino pageant fans and pundits debate if she delivered to her maximum potential during the preliminary competition, I'm still convinced that she is one of the shoo-ins to make the Top 16 and is still a major contender to make the Final Five.  I thought she was top-notch in the swimsuit round, and although yes, her blue gown was a relatively simple design, it still was elevated by Celeste's charismatic presence.  Needless to say, I think she way exceeded what she did at Miss Earth 2018, where she ended up in the Top Eight.

POLAND - Aleksandra Klepaczka.  She would've made more serious inroads and have an inside track to the Top 16 in a less competitive year, but with this sterling batch though she was performing at a high level, she was overshadowed by so many other stars.

PORTUGAL - Telma Madeira.  She's another member of Miss Earth batch 2018 making a serious play here.*11  But unlike Celeste who leveled up significantly here, this lady is not quite ramping up to compellingly secure a Top 16 placement.  It's still highly possible, but this is such a fierce batch that it will boil down to the tastes of the selection committee members.

*11 Last year, there's the opening salvo by Colombia's Valeria Ayos, who was Miss Earth-Water in 2018 and finished in the Final Five in this pageant.  This December, Venezuela will also be fielding an alumni from this batch, Diana Silva, who also finished Top Eight finisher alongside Celeste and Telma.

PUERTO RICO - Ashley Cariño.  Many pageant fans and pundits are hyping her as one of the biggest front-runners and the hype was sustained based on her preliminary competition performance.  I initially wasn't part of her bandwagon as I don't really find her classically pretty, but watching her preliminary competition performance and learning about her background as an astrophysicist and her advocacy to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education for females alongside her sterling communication skills, I do get why she's deemed a possible crown contender.  She definitely embodies the motto, "Beautifully Confident"

RUSSIA - Anna Linnikova.  She's a gorgeous blonde with strong stage chops.  If it weren't for the state of global affairs involving her country, she would've been taken into higher regard as a Top 16 possibility.

SAINT LUCIA - Sheris Paul.  In a less competitive year, she would be a middle-of-the-pack performer, but with this batch she is at the back of the pack.

SEYCHELLES - Gabriella Gonthier.  It's nice to see this country back in this pageant after a 27-year absence.  She's attractive though not as polished as other major contenders out there.

COMING UP:  SINGAPORE to VIETNAM plus the "FEARFUL" FORECAST