This year, Miss World decided to revert back to the Continental format, but with a few tweaks: for starters, the groupings are not only applicable to contestant introductions, but also apply to all fast-track events, most especially Sports, as each region is also the same as the team (unlike in previous editions where the teams are like a random hodgepodge). Moreover the Americas and Caribbean were combined into one group. This makes sense as the Caribbean is typically a small segment and the mainland Americas would normally be also small in relation to say, Europe, and since these regions belong to the same hemisphere, why not combine them into one group? So does this mean that a Continental Queen for the Caribbean would not be awarded? I have a feeling that this will still be awarded.
Typically this region would be considered a powerhouse containing a crown contender. But I've observed that buzz seems muted for members in this group, and there was no-one from this group that had been dominating the fast-track events.
ARGENTINA - Mariela Fuchs. She's an attractive contestant, but not enough to make a standout impression, and this is evident that she failed to figure in the shortlist of any fast-track event. Would her lack of facility with English be a hindrance for her?
BELIZE - Elise Gayonne Vernon. She is attractive, though my attention seems to be more focused with other lookers out there. But she does seem th have a vibrant personality going for her, and she does regular updates on her webpage on the Miss World website and shared her background as a farmer and politician.
BOLIVIA - Fernanda Rivero. This blonde makes a lot of regular updates on her page on the Miss World website, and she does have a decent command of English. However, it seems a lot of her content is basically your typical Instagram-style outfit-for-the-day type of content with of course a smattering of her advocacies. She hasn't made the shortlist in any fast-track event, so there is a sense that she is likely to be overlooked.
BRAZIL - Leticia Frota. I find this brunette not as stunning as previous contenders fielded in this pageant, but she has got most of the bases covered that she is considered as having an inside track to the Top 40 and beyond. She made the Top 25 in the Head-to-Head challenge, Top 20 in Top Model, and her BWAP project (on Hansen's disease) was deemed the top perfomer for the Americas after being shortlisted in the Top 10.
CANADA - Jaime Vandenberg. She's well-spoken, so it's a bit of a surprise that she missed the Top 25 in the Head-to-Head challenge. However, she made the shortlist in Sports and Top Model, and it's likely she will do well with the judges' interview and hence secure her Top 40 slot.
CAYMAN ISLANDS - Leanni Tibbets. If this were Miss Universe, she would have been a potential "diversity" choice with her tomboy vibe (she's a pilot who tends to prefer wearing mannish clothes). As progressive as this pageant has become especially with its emphasis on advocacy and female empowerment, I have a feeling they still prefer their contestants to exude a more feminine vibe. She also obviously lacks polish in her presentation, but she has a redeeming feature with her solid communication skills and simpatico personality.
CHILE - Ambar Zenteno. She has these angular patrician features that would've worked if she created a standout impression in, say, Top Model or if her advocacies piqued the attention of the judges and MWO insiders or if she makes for a memorable interview or has a compelling human interest story. But her big highlight during this festival was being 1st runner-up in Sports, and with Sport being regarded as a "homely" fast-track, this historically has not been a good predictor of a contestant's prospects for making the Top 40.
COLOMBIA - Camila Pinzón. There are pageant fans and pundits hyping this lady's Top 40 prospects, as they felt she covers all the bases with her documented her charity work in war-torn areas like Ukraine and Syria, plus her educational background studying in prestigious universities like France's Sorbonne and the UK's Cambridge, and her ability to speak seven languages. So it's quite shocking that she failed to figure in any of the fast-track events. Would her background and advocacies still impress the judges and MWO insiders enough to secure a Top 40 spot, or is she a front-runner for the Holly Carpenter award?
COSTA RICA - Krisly Salas. She's a pretty face (with a mild passing resemblance to Miss World 2013 Megan Young) but she failed to generate a highlight and it seems her videos for her advocacies and introduction are missing or she failed to submit them.
CURACAO - Nashaira Balentien. I find her good looking, polished, and well-spoken, but she didn't seem to impress the judges and MWO insiders that she failed to figure in any fast-track event. For me she's a potential Holly Carpenter award candidate.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Maria Victoria Bayo. Like COSTA RICA, she has a facial resemblance to Megan Young, if she has a more statuesque, athletic frame, as she touts her background as a volleyball athlete and her BWAP project is linked to sports. But interestingly, she missed making the shortlist in that fast-track--she did make it to Top Model, which most pundits feel tends to be a good predictor for finishing in the Top 40, and with that her Top 40 prospects are very strong.
ECUADOR - Annie Zámbrano. She has a passing resemblance to Miss World 2001 1st runner-up Zizi Lee from Aruba, but she seems neither as polished nor as vibrant as Zizi during her Miss World stint*1 and hence as expected failed to make any standout impression.
*1 She later competed at Miss Universe 2004 but her vibrancy seemed dissipated by the time she made it there.
EL SALVADOR - Andrea Aguilar. She is good looking and seemed a good communicator, especially since she is currently residing in the US, but she doesn't seem to have much resources or support as her page on the website is threadbare, and hence she failed to figure in any fast-track challenges. With the proper support, she has potential.
GUADELOUPE - Marie Hatchi. She has an attractively exotic vibe, but obviously doesn't qute make an impression of being a serious contender for the Top 40. But she at least delivered a highlight durign this festival as she made the shortlist in Sports.
GUATEMALA - Marcela Miranda. She deployed her extensive background in gymnastics (she'[s only 19 years old but reported to have been a gymnast for 13 years) to make a splash in the two "homely" fast-tracks of Sports and Talent, with the latter she was given the opportunity to showcase in the BWAP Gala. Like EL SALVADOR, she lacks support and resources, but at least she had these highlights to remember by.
COMING UP: GUYANA to VENEZUELA
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