Miss Universe 2007

RIYO MORI MISS UNIVERSE® 2007

Yes, that’s right. Riyo Mori, who represented Japan at the Miss Universe Contest, has just been named the winner of the pagent:

Mori, 20, the 56th winner of the title, was given her $250,000 (U.S.) diamond-and-pearl crown by last year’s winner, Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico, watched by a live audience of 10,000 and some 600 million television viewers worldwide.
A lifelong ballet dancer from a village near Mount Fuji, Mori wore a striking black gown with coloured lapels for the final. Winning surpassed the ambition of her grandmother, who told her as a child she wanted her to be Miss Japan one day. My mind went blank,” she said of the winning moment.

I’ll be following up later today or tomorrow with more information on the Japanese media coverage of her win. You can bet it’s going to be huge news over here!
Congratulations, Riyo!

Whoops, looks like Miss Universe 2006 is horrible at the simple act of placing a crown on the winner’s head:

…and the blunder even made the frontpage of Yahoo!

This evening, during one of the year’s most exciting live international television events, a star-studded panel of judges chose Miss Japan, Riyo Mori, as MISS UNIVERSE® 2007
Ms. Mori is 20 years-old and has been dancing since she was 4. She loves traveling the world and enjoys visiting museums and watching musicals.
The judging panel for the 2007 Miss Universe Pageant included NBC's "Heroes" James Kyson Lee, NBC's "Deal or No Deal" briefcase model Lindsay Clubine, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, rocker Dave Navarro, World and Olympic figure skating champion Michelle Kwan, fashion designer Marc Bouwer, Novela Star Mauricio Islas, "Project Runway" judge and Elle magazine fashion director Nina Garcia, and former Miss Universes Dayanara Torres (1993) and Christiane Martel (1953).
Throughout the two-hour event, contestants from 77 countries around the world competed in three categories: swimsuit; evening gown; and personality interview. Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Universe 2006, crowned her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour primetime telecast, before an estimated worldwide viewing audience of more than 1 billion in over 170 countries.
The MISS UNIVERSE® 2007 prize package includes: Official Miss UNIVERSE Mikimoto pearl tiara; 2 Year Scholarship from The NY Film Academy in NYC; custom designed wardrobe by Tadashi; National and International multi-media advertising campaign and a complete denim wardrobe from YMI Jeanswear; Swimsuit wardrobe from BSC Swimwear Thailand; Shoe wardrobe from Nina; A Ritmo Mundo Jumbo Jet Mystery Dial time piece; Year-long supply of hair care products and tools from Farouk Systems; Membership to Gravity Fitness and papering at John Barrett Salon; Fashion Portfolio by leading fashion photographer Fadil Berisha; Consultation with stylist Billie Causieestko; New York City apartment for the year of her reign including living expenses; professional representation by the Miss Universe Organization and Trump Model Management; and a personal appearance wardrobe.
The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSE®, MISS USA® and MISS TEEN USA® competitions, is a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal partnership. Utilizing its global grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing HIV/AIDS awareness by focusing on women's health and reproductive issues. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education such as the Latino Commission on AIDS, Global Health Council and God's Love We Deliver, Miss Universe is armed to impact women today.

Placement List 2007

01. Miss Universe 2007 Japan

02. First runner-up Brazil

03. Second runner-up Venezuela

04. Third runner-up Korea

05. Fourth runner-up USA

06. Tanzania

07. Angola

08. Mexico

09. India

10. Nicaragua

11. Slovenia

12. Czech Republic

13. Denmark

14. Thailand

15. Ukraine

Special Awards

Congeniality: Ningning Zhang (China)
Photogenic: Anna Theresa Licaros (Philippines)
For the first time since its inception, no Best National Costume Award was awarded.

Historical significance

• Japan won the pageant for the first time since Akiko Kojima won Japan's first Miss Universe title in 1959. She is the first Asian titleholder since Lara Dutta won in 2000.
  
• Slovenia and Tanzania placed for the first time. This was the first year that Tanzania participated in the pageant; Miss Tanzania was also the first bald contestant in the competition.
  
• Countries that made the semi-finals after a long period without placement were: Czech Republic (last placed in 2003), Nicaragua (1977), Korea (1988), and Angola (2003).
  
• Denmark placed for the second consecutive year; this was their first pair of consecutive placements since the 1960s. Prior to 2006, no Danish contestant had placed since 1967.
  
• Philippines won the Miss Photogenic award for the seventh time (it has won this award three years in a row since 2005).
  
• China won the Miss Congeniality award for the first time.

2 videos of her win at the Miss Japan contest earlier this year:

2007

• Miss India Universe - Puja Gupta, later among top 10 finalists at the Miss Universe
• Miss India World - Sarah Jane Dias
• Miss India Earth - Pooja Chitgopekar