Miss Czech Republic crowned Miss World 2006
Sat Sep 30, 2006 WARSAW  - Miss Czech Republic took the Miss World crown on Saturday in Poland's capital Warsaw, the first city in ex-communist East Europe to host the pageant. Tatana Kucharova, a blue-eyed blonde wearing a tight-fitting white gown, fought back tears as the Miss World sash was draped over her shoulder and a glittering crown placed on her head. Kucharova blew kisses to the crowd and hugged her competitors, 103 women from five continents, but made no comments.

CZECH REPUBLIC - Tatana KUCHAROVA
 Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Height: 177
Tatana Kucharova, an 18-year-old student from the Czech Republic, won the Miss World 2006 beauty contest on Saturday. Kucharova defeated 103 other contestants in voting among a panel of judges and from television viewers around the world during a two-hour finals ceremony in the Polish capital. 
First runner-up in the 56th annual beauty pageant was Joana Valentina Boitor, a 17-year-old from Romania. Australia's Sabrina Houssami, 20, was third. 
Wearing a long white dress, a teary Kucharova blew kisses to the audience in Warsaw's Congress Hall after she received her diamond crown from Miss World 2005, Unnur Birna Vilhjalmsdottir of Iceland. 

The two-hour pageant was held in Warsaw's Palace of Culture, a skyscraper built as a gift by Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union, spruced up with red carpets, flowers and floodlights. Seventeen-year-old Miss Romania, Ioana Valentina Boitor, was first runner-up.

In keeping with its conversion to capitalism, Poland is aiming to cash in on Miss World, billed as television's most watched event. A think tank calculated exposure from the pageant would help draw 5 million extra tourists to the country by 2010.

Miss Australia, Sabrina Houssami, was second runner-up.

Feminists dismiss Miss World, founded in 1951, as a sexist "cattle show", yet organizers expected more than 2 billion people in 200 countries to tune in.

Miss World moved to Warsaw after three years in the southern Chinese resort Island of Hainan.

To keep the pageant's image wholesome, artists drew a sash over Warsaw's city symbol, a half naked mermaid, to conceal her breasts in promotional posters.

Kucharova is the third Eastern European to win the Miss World crown. The first, Poland's Aneta Beata Kreglicka, was one of three moderators at the Palace of Culture on Saturday.
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Dame Kelly Holmes, Louis Walsh, Karan Johar and Former Miss World Aneta Kreglicka Join Line-Up of International TV Presenters and Renowned Music Stars to Wow Global TV Audience

An impressive cast of international stars and music artists will ensure that the 56th Miss World Final is a dazzling event of global proportions.

The 56th Miss World Final will take place at the Sala Kongresowa, Warsaw, on Saturday 30th September (20:00 CET).  The Final is the highlight of a month-long tour of Poland, that has taken in towns such as Krakow, Gdansk, Gdynia, Gizycko, Zamosc, Katowice and Warsaw.  Film of their travels in Poland will feature in the Final.

The TV spectacular with 104 contestants will be hosted by top Chinese TV presenter and 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 will be joined by leading Polish TV presenter Grazyna Torbicka.

Top notch musical entertainment at the Miss World 2006 Final will come in the form of internationally-successful Irish band Westlife and Bee Gees singing legend Robin Gibb.  Pop opera quartet Amici will also perform.

Miss World – The Final is the World’s largest live annual TV event with global viewing figures topping two billion across nearly 200 countries.
 

Czech Republic came through to win the coveted crown as Miss World 2006, in a glittering and star-studded ceremony at the Sala Kongresowa, Warsaw, tonight.

Czech Republic was crowned Miss World out of 104 beautiful and talented contestants, with  Romania named first runner-up, followed by Australia as second runner-up.

In a last minute twist, the judges were unable to decide between contestants in the Asia Pacific continental group, so three girls from that group went through to the final 17 semi finalists, not the proposed 16.

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

An impressive cast of international stars and music artists ensured that the 56th Miss World Final was a dazzling event of global proportions.

The 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.
Top notch 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.  Pop opera quartet Amici also performed.

Miss World – The Final is the World’s largest live annual TV event with global viewing figures topping two billion across nearly 200 countries. 

The full line-up of official judges at the Miss World 2006 Final on 30th September 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     Leading 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

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                Leading 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
 

But alas when we are talking about over 100 women competing in a beauty contest these otherwise attractive ladies quickly learn there could be others out there even more sensational.  As always there will be the bottom of the barrel.  In this case, we wouldn't mind taking bottom of the barrel.

While they certainly aren't dogs in the literal sense, from a bettors perspective, there are a choice few who oddsmakers believe can't stand a chance in this race.  These are girls who - if somehow they pull off a win - would reward gamblers with some big time bucks.

So who are the girls with the longest shot of winning this competition?

Miss Zambia would pay out US$24,000 on a $100 bet as does Miss St. Lucia, Miss Liberia, Miss Latvia and Miss Georgia.

"We've taken some slack for promoting Miss Ghana among the bottom of the barrel," said Payton O'Brien, Gambling911.com's resident Entertainment Reporter.  "Interestingly enough her odds have been pushed up to +12000 (or US$12,000 paid out on a $100 bet)."

After Ghana defeated USA in the World Cup this past summer, some felt there was a little bit of shading going on with oddsmakers catering to the US market.

"All of these girls are beautiful but there is common denominator among the lower tier that really stands out, or shall we say doesn't stand out," O'Brien said.  "None of them seem to have breast implants compared to say the top favorites."

ARGENTINA - Maria Beatriz VALLEJOS SCHULZE

ARUBA - Shanandoa Arnaldi WIJSHISER

AUSTRALIA - Sabrina HOUSSAMI

AUSTRIA - Tatjana BATINIC

BAHAMAS - Deandrea CONLIFFE

BARBADOS - Latoya Tamara MCDOWALD

BELARUS - Katsiaryna LITVINAVA

BELGIUM - Virginie Lieve Geraldine CLAES

BOLIVIA - Ana Maria ORTIZ RODAL

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA - Azra GAZDIC

BOTSWANA - Lorato Pearl TEBOGO

BRAZIL - Jane SOUSA BORGES OLIVEIRA

BULGARIA - Slavena VATOVA

CAMBODIA - Sun Srey MOM

CANADA - Malgorzata MAJEWSKA

CAYMAN ISLANDS - Ambuyah Ruth EBANKS

CHILE - Constanza SILVA

CHINA PR - Duo LIU

COLOMBIA - Elizabeth LOAIZA

CONGO DEMOCRATIC REP. - Diane MIZUMI MWINGA

COSTA RICA - Belgica ARIAS PALOMO

CROATIA - Ivana ERGIC

CURACAO - Fyrena Judica Hannah MARTHA

CYPRUS - Elli MANOLI

CZECH REPUBLIC - Tatana KUCHAROVA

DENMARK - Sandra Nanna SPOHR

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Paola TORRES COHEN

ECUADOR - Rebeca FLORES JARAMILLO

EL SALVADOR - Evelyn Tatiana ROMERO LOPEZ

ENGLAND - Eleanor Mary Anne GLYNN

ESTONIA - Leisi POLDSAM

ETHIOPIA - Amleset MUCHIE

FINLAND - Jenniina Elva kristiina TUOKKO

FRANCE - Laura FASQUEL

GEORGIA - Nino KALANDAZE

GERMANY - Edita ORASCANIN

GHANA - Lamisi MBILLAH

GIBRALTAR - Hayley O'BRIEN

GREECE - Eirini KARRA

GUADELOUPE - Caroline Virgile BEVIS

GUATEMALA - Jackelinne PICCININI OTTEN

GUYANA - Dessia BRAITHWAITE

HONG KONG CHINA - Janet Ka Wai CHOW

HUNGARY - Renata Anetta TOTH

ICELAND - Asdis Svava HALLGRIMSDOTTIR

INDIA - Natasha SURI

INDONESIA - Kristania Virginia BESOUW

IRELAND - Sara MORRISSEY

ISRAEL - Yael NEZRI

ITALY - Elizaveta MIGATCHEVA

JAMAICA - Sara LAWRENCE

JAPAN - Kazuha KONDO

KAZAKHSTAN - Sabina CHUKAYEVA

KENYA - Khadijah Shamillah KIPTOO

KOREA - Sharon PARK

LATVIA - Liga MEINARTE

LEBANON - Annabella HILAL

LIBERIA - Patrice Daiemole JUAH

MACEDONIA FYRO - Marija VEGOVA

MALAYSIA - Adeline Wan Ling CHOO

MALTA - Solange Jeanne MIFSUD

MARTINIQUE - Stephanie Florence COLOSSE

MAURITIUS - Vanesha SEETOHUL

MEXICO - Karla Veronica JIMENEZ AMESCUA

MOLDOVA - Alexandra DEMCIUK

MONGOLIA - Selenge ERDENE-OCHIR

MONTENEGRO - Ivana KNEZEVIC

NAMIBIA - Anna Svetlana NASHANDI

NETHERLANDS - Sheryl Lynn BAAS

NIGERIA - Abiola BASHORUN

NORTHERN IRELAND - Catherine Jean MILLIGAN

NORWAY - Tonje Elise SKJAERVIK

PANAMA - Giselle BISSOT KIESWETTER

PERU - Silvia CORNEJO CERNA

PHILIPPINES - Anna Maris IGPIT

POLAND - Marzena CIESLIK

PORTUGAL - Sara Sofia ALMEIDA DIAS LEITE

PUERTO RICO - Thebyam CARRION ALVAREZ

ROMANIA - Ioana Valentina BOITOR

RUSSIA - Aleksandra MAZUR

SCOTLAND - Nicola MCLEAN

SERBIA - Vedrana Grbovic

SINGAPORE - Pereira Colleen FRANCISCA

SLOVAKIA - Magdalena SEBESTOVA

SLOVENIA - Iris MULEJ

SOUTH AFRICA - Nokuthula SITHOLE

SPAIN - Inmaculada TORRES DEL REY

SRI LANKA - Rapthi Raffella Dannielle KERKOVEN

ST LUCIA - Tamalisa JN.BAPTISTE

SWEDEN - Cathrin SKOG

TAHITI - Vainui SIMON

TANZANIA - Wema Isaac SEPETU

THAILAND - Melisa MAHAPOL

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - Teneke De FREITAS

TURKEY - Merve BUYUKSARAC

UKRAINE - Olga SHYLOVANOVA

UNITED STATES - Brooke Elizabeth ANGUS

URUGUAY - Marlene Valeria POLITI LERETE

VENEZUELA - Alexandra Federica GUZMAN DIAMANTE

VIETNAM - Thuy MAI PHUONG

WALES - Sarah Michelle FLEMING

ZAMBIA - Katanekwa MATUNDWELO

ZIMBABWE - Lorraine Tsoanele MAPHALA