Miss World 1979

Miss World 1979
Countries and territories which sent delegates and results for Miss World 1979[1][2][3]
Date15 November 1979
PresentersEsther Rantzen and Sacha Distel
VenueRoyal Albert Hall, London, UK
BroadcasterBBC
Entrants70
Placements15
DebutsLesotho
WithdrawalsCuraçao, Saint Vincent, Tunisia
ReturnsBolivia, Guatemala, Lebanon, Panama, Portugal
WinnerGina Swainson[4]
Bermuda
PersonalityAnne-Marie Franke (Guam)
PhotogenicKarin Zorn (Austria)
← 1978
1980 →

Miss World 1979, the 29th edition of the Miss World pageant, was held on 15 November 1979 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK. The winner was Gina Swainson from Bermuda.[4] She was crowned by Miss World 1978, Silvana Suarez of Argentina. First runner-up was Carolyn Seaward representing the United Kingdom and second runner-up was Debbie Campbell from Jamaica. Swainson was a first runner-up in Miss Universe 1979 represented Bermuda and Carolyn Seaward was a second runner-up in same pageant represented England.

Live television coverage of the contest was largely abandoned by the BBC as a result of a trade union dispute typical of the era in Britain, when sound engineers refused to work, and the BBC decided shortly beforehand that it could not show live pictures without a commentary. The parade of the contestants in their national costumes and each of the entrants in their evening wear had been recorded the night before, so this was televised, followed later in the evening with the crowning of the winner with mute pictures narrated by Ray Moore.[5] A unscheduled repeat of Futtocks End was televised to bridge the two segments. For later overseas transmission, a commentary was added to the silent pictures of the entire event, but the interviews with the final 7 contestants were never shown.

Results

Placements

Placement Contestant
Miss World 1979
1st Runner-up
2nd Runner-up
3rd Runner-up
4th Runner-up
Top 7
Top 15

Contestants

Country Contestant Age Hometown
Argentina Argentina Verónica Ivonne Gargani 19 Buenos Aires
Aruba Aruba Vianca van Hoek 20 Oranjestad
Australia Australia Jodie Anne Day 18 Brisbane
Austria Austria Karin Zorn 18 Weiz
The Bahamas Bahamas Deborah Major 20 Nassau
Belgium Belgium Christine Cailliau 23 Brussels
Bermuda Bermuda Gina Swainson 21 St. George's Parish
Bolivia Bolivia Patricia Asbún 20 Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Brazil Brazil Léa Sílvia dall’Acqua 20 Campinas
Canada Canada Catherine Mackintosh 23 Thunder Bay
Cayman Islands Cayman Islands Jennifer Jackson 21 George Town
Chile Chile Marianela Toledo 19 Santiago
Colombia Colombia Rosaura Rodríguez 17 Cartagena
Costa Rica Costa Rica Marianela Brealey 17 San José
Cyprus Cyprus Eliana Djiaboura 24 Nicosia
Denmark Denmark Lone Jörgensen 18 Holstebro
Dominican Republic Dominican Republic Sabrina Brugal 18 Santo Domingo
Ecuador Ecuador Olba Padilla 18 Guayaquil
El Salvador El Salvador Ivette Lopez 19 San Salvador
Finland Finland Tuire Pentikäinen 23 Helsinki
France France Sylvie Parera 18 Marseille
West Germany Germany Andrea Hontschik 20 Berlin
Gibraltar Gibraltar Audrey Lopez 21 Gibraltar
Greece Greece Mika Dimitropoulou 17 Athens
Guam Guam Anne-Marie Franke 18 Hagatna
Guatemala Guatemala Michele Domínguez 19 Guatemala City
Netherlands Holland Nannetje Nielen 22 Amsterdam
Honduras Honduras Gina Maria Weidner 18 San Pedro Sula
British Hong Kong Hong Kong Mary Ng 21 Kowloon Bay
Iceland Iceland Sigrún Sætran 24 Reykjavík
India India Raina Mendonica 22 Bombay
Republic of Ireland Ireland Maura McMenamim 21 Dublin
 Isle of Man Kathleen Mary Craig 17 Douglas
Israel Israel Dana Feller 19 Tel-Aviv
Italy Italy Rossana Serratore 18 Asti
Jamaica Jamaica Debbie Campbell[1] 17 Kingston
Japan Japan Motomi Hibino 19 Nagoya
 Jersey Treena Foster 21 Saint Helier
South Korea Korea Hong Yeo-jin 21 Seoul
Lebanon Lebanon Jacqueline Riachi 19 Beirut
 Lesotho Pauline Essie Kanedi 22 Maseru
Malaysia Malaysia Shirley Chew 18 Kangar
Malta Malta Elena Christine Abela 17 Sliema
Mauritius Mauritius Maria Allard 24 Port Louis
Mexico Mexico Roselina Rosas Torres 19 Durango City
New Zealand New Zealand Nicola Duckworth 17 Auckland
Nigeria Nigeria Helen Prest 20 Ibadan
Norway Norway Jeanette Aarum 20 Fredrikstad
Panama Panama Lorelay de la Ossa 19 Panama City
Paraguay Paraguay Martha Galli 19 Asunción
Peru Peru Magali Pérez-Godoy 18 Lima
Philippines Philippines Josefina Francisco 18 Manila
Portugal Portugal Ana Gonçalves Vieira 18 Lisbon
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Daisy López 18 San Juan
Singapore Singapore Violet Lee 20 Singapore
Spain Spain Dolores Forner 19 Madrid
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Shamila Weerasooriya 17 Colombo
Eswatini Swaziland Gladys Carmichael 17 Manzini
Sweden Sweden Ing-Marie Säveby 19 Stockholm
Switzerland Switzerland Barbara Mayer 21 Marly
French Polynesia Tahiti Thilda Fuller 24 Pape'ete
Thailand Thailand Tipar Suparbpun 22 Bangkok
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Marlene Coggins 21 San Fernando
Turkey Turkey Sebnem Unal 18 Istanbul
United Kingdom United Kingdom Carolyn Seaward 20 Yelverton
United States United States Carter Wilson[3] 23 Harrisonburg
 United States Virgin Islands Jasmine Olivia Turner 17 Saint Croix
Uruguay Uruguay Laura Rodríguez 21 Montevideo
Venezuela Venezuela Tatiana Capote[2] 18 Barinas
Samoa Western Samoa Danira Schwalger 19 Apia

Notes

Debuts

Returns

  • Last competed in 1973:
    •  Portugal
  • Last competed in 1976:
    •  Guatemala
  • Last competed in 1977:
    •  Bolivia
    •  Lebanon
    •  Panama

References

  1. ^ a b Jamaica. W.I.L.I.P. series. W.W. Gaunt & Sons. 1987. p. 92. ISBN 9780245540240. They enthusiastically choose a Miss Jamaica Universe each May and a Miss Jamaica World each September And there are ... have been second runners-up in the Miss World finals — Debbie Campbell in 1979 and Sandra Cunningham in 1981.
  2. ^ a b "Miss World Competition Through the Years". E!. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  3. ^ a b "The Sumter Daily Item". Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  4. ^ a b c New Straits Times
  5. ^ "Miss World not shown as BBC dispute worsens", The Times page 2, 16 November 1979
  6. ^ "Miss Mundo 1979". MISS WORLD HISTORY / HISTORIA DE MISS MUNDO. 11 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Miss Mundo 1979". MISS WORLD HISTORY / HISTORIA DE MISS MUNDO. 11 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2023.