Eighty three Miss Universe contestants are competing for the Miss Universe 2010 Title. Last Thursday was the preliminary presentation held in Malanday Bay Resort in Las Vegas where the Top 15 Miss Universe 2010 has been selected.
However, the lucky semi-finalist will be announced on August 22, 2010 Pacific Standard Time (August 23, 2010 in the Philippines). Miss Universe 2010 contestants was rated based on evening gown category and swimsuit category during the preliminary presentation.
Miss Philippines Maria Venus Raj was one of the most applauded contestants during the event. Maria Venus Raj’s closest rivals during the show based on the most cheered beauties were Miss Haiti, Miss Canada, Miss Australia, Miss USA, Miss Mexico and Miss Puerto Rico.
On the online survey based on the official website of the Miss Universe. Maria Venus Raj got the highest rating followed by Miss Bolivia Claudia Lemaitre and Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson on the third spot. This online popularity survey will have no bearing on the preliminaries and during the finals according to the Miss Universe organizers.
A statement issued by Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, read: “As disclosed at the top of each broadcast, members of the Miss Universe Organization play a role in the selection of the Top 15 semi-finalists. In the 2009 Miss Universe competition, a preliminary panel of judges selected nine of the Top 15 and members of the Miss Universe Organization, including owner Donald J. Trump, selected the remaining six;
“A separate panel of judges, introduced live at the Finals telecast, is solely responsible for the selection of the Top 10, Top 5 and the ultimate winner of the pageant. This system has been in place since 2005 and has always been fully disclosed to the contestants, their directors, the judges and the viewing audience;
“The procedure is overseen by the accounting firm of Ernst & Young and NBC Program Standards and Compliance. To in any way call into question the integrity of the judging process or suggest the pageant is somehow orchestrated or ‘rigged’ is utterly false and misleading.â€
“When I bought Miss Universe 12 years ago, it was a sick puppy. Now the Miss Universe contest is seen in over 180 countries around the world and the ratings are through the roof and that’s because of the beautiful women,†said Trump. “I’m not changing a thing!â€
Here are the Top 15 Miss Universe 2010 based on online popularity- courtesy: Miss Universe Official Website. Click the image for a bigger view.