Courtesy of: The Morning News
Mrs. Aruba of 2012, Ysaura Wong-Giel, was honored last year to claim the title of Mrs. Universe LTD , which embodies the image of the franchise, and was instrumental in bringing the international event to Aruba this year.
32 contestants from as far as Australia, South Africa, India and Hong Kong traveled to Aruba to compete for this year’s titles. A Mrs. Universe, with four runners-up, are crowned for being outstanding in all the criteria, and a Mrs. Universe LTD, considered an exceptional beauty, takes the title to be the image of the event for one year.
Mrs. Belarus, Svetlana Kurznetsova, was crowned Mrs. Universe LTD, by Aruba’s Mrs. MesoAmerica, Lizayra Tromp-Polak. The latter will represent the island for the regional title in Costa Rica in November. She shared the Mrs. Universe Pageant moderator duties with Ryan Maduro.
The new Mrs. Universe LTD, Svetlana, is a married mother of two boys while maintaining a career as a math teacher in one of the best University of Moscow, along with a modelling school. A beauty queen several times over, she was a finalist in “Teacher of the Year 2010? contest and speaks Belarusian, Russian, Polish, and English.
The ultimate Mrs. Universe 2013, selected by the international panel of judges, was Mrs. Malaysia, Carol Lee, who also won the popular vote conducted online by pageant sponsor Noscara, an online magazine dedicated to Aruba’s social scene. She was awarded prizes by the voting competition sponsors Glitz Casino and Penha, along with being crowned queen of the competition. Mrs. Lee, a beauty contest winner and television host in her home country, received a scholarship to study Sales and Marketing and was the first in this major to receive a noted merit award. She is very active in children’s causes and promoting organ donations. She was recognized for her efforts in raising record funds for three orphanages in her homeland.
First runner-up for the Mrs. Universe title was Mrs. Canada Melanie Wildman, Second Runner-up was Mrs. Puerto Rico, Thania Espaillat Geigel, Third runner-up was Mrs. USA, Amanda Grad, and Fourth Runner-up was Mrs. Colombia, Maria Fernanda Valez.
A long list of titles for achievements from “Mrs. Intelligent” which went to Mrs. Nepal and to “Best Cocktail Dress,” which went to Mrs. Venezuela, were distributed to a wide range of contestants.
During their week on the island, the contestants participated in a number of events which underlined the theme of the pageant and franchise, stopping violence against vulnerable groups, particularly women, in any form.
They were taken on tours of Aruba’s center for woman’s assistance, CEDEHM, and a donation was made by the GLW Foundation, a chief local organizer of this year’s event, to the Battered Women’s Foundation of Aruba and also to the Special Olympics Committee.
For more information on the Mrs. Universe Ltd organization visit their website: http:/ /www.mrsuniverseltd.com. For a full listing of all of this year’s candidates and their accomplishments visit http://www. noscara.com
