The next step...

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, I just moved to my uni today and it has been a bit hectic. It's going to be difficult to continue with this blog but I assure you I'll continue to post, however infrequently.

Miss Universe 2011 Final Review

I've re-watched the Miss Universe pageant and my main comment is that it was an odd year.

Lets start with a fuller review of the Top 16.

FRANCE - When Laury won her national pageant there were so many haters, I was one of few who thought she wasn't that bad and even considered her a contender however when everybody started liking her and putting her in their Top 16 I was unconvinced and placed her in my Top 30. I predicted she would make the Top 16 though.

KOSOVO - Way back in my first list she was in my Top 8. If you read that post you'd know I was unsure whether she deserved that placing and I was right to feel like that because when she arrived I was disappointed. She never climbed back to that high and slowly fell in my rankings to 42nd. Yet again I predicted her Top 16 placement though.

COLOMBIA - Colombia was never a favourite of mine, she did start to gather some steam before and after the preliminary competition but I didn't expect her Top 16 placement. To be honest I thought her "panties" fiasco was enough to bar her from placing and there were so many other Latinas I thought would take her place like Peru, Nicaragua, Mexico and Paraguay. She was 33rd on my list.

CHINA - China finally gave me something to cheer for, after 3 girls outside my Top 20 list I finally got someone inside my Top 10; China was 7th on my list. China has always been a predicament because I never found her beautiful instead it was her style and presence that caught my attention. It was also, for me, difficult to ignore a Chinese delegate who could actually do well in the competition.

ANGOLA - I'd be lying to you if I said I was ecstatic about her placement. At this stage I was praying for some of my favourites that another girl placed outside of my Top 20; 28th, wasn't a happy sight. Angola was always part of my bubbling under list and in fact her rather forgettable performance throughout the competition never excited me. However I was happy that Africa had a representative and she was on my 8 alternatives on my prediction list.

AUSTRALIA - Scherri-Lee was one of my favourites so I was over the moon about her placement. She was 6th on my list. Whilst most liked her prior to the pageant I think I grew to like her from looking at all the photos of their activities, her interview and her prelim performance. She represented a healthy, sporty girl and I loved her bubbly personality. She was amongst my Top 16 prediction list.

PUERTO RICO - At one point I loved Viviana, she peaked at 4th on my list but she slowly found her resting place at 13th. She just didn't provide as much spark as I had predicted and to be honest she didn't look her best on the night in my opinion. I was surprised to find out that it was her birthday on the finals. She also made my Top 16 predictions.

BRAZIL - Yet again a girl that once peaked inside my Top 15/16, at 12th, but just before and after the prelims she started to die down for me and ended at 29th. To be honest I didn't expect her placement despite being the home delegate because I thought her story was too much for her to handle but I did put her in my alternative 8. I think if she had been more vibrant during the prelims she could have stayed in my top 20.

NETHERLANDS - I jumped out of my seat when I saw this, I thought Kelly would be the favourite to fall or as some name it the "Ruth Ocumarez Award". I had not even considered her as an alternative in my predictions because I really had a feeling she'd be an Alida D'Angona of Miss Universe. I should have had more faith. She has been a permanent fixture in my Top 5, placing at 5th in the end.

USA - Thank god she made it. USA was always my No.1 until her preliminary which dropped her to 8th but she was still one of my faves. It would have been a shock if she didn't make it but I would also have understood her none placement. At this point I was really wondering how she'd look in the swimsuit competition because it could be what makes her lose before the Top 10 or even win it all.

UKRAINE - She was always my No.3 even when others thought she was a dud. I found her stunning and didn't really understand why others did not but that didn't matter anymore because she made the Top 16 (and we quickly found out that wasn't where she'd end). I was sure she'd make the Top 16 because of her undeniable sex appeal.

PANAMA - It was only after the preliminary pageant that I jumped on the bandwagon. She became my No.12. I thought she looked stunning when glammed up and I was extremely pleased that she made the Top 16. She was also in my Top 16 prediction list.

COSTA RICA - Costa Rica recently peaked at 16th on my favourites list so I was pleased with her inclusion. However I only put her as an alternative for my predictions list because I didn't expect the judges to like her much 

PORTUGAL - Portugal was 24th on my list but never did I expect her to be in the Top 16 nor did I expect her to be voted in, but it was definitely a pleasant surprise I wouldn't want to see the viewers vote to always be between Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Puerto Rico. She also looked beautiful on the night.

PHILIPPINES - Philippines was always just outside my Top 10 but as I said she was amongst my Top 12 favourites for the finals. I have been a fan of Shamcey since Binibining Pilipinas and I'm proud to have been one of the few believers in her ever since she won her national pageant, I would also like to add whilst I liked Patricia Tumulak and MJ Lastimosa I think they wouldn't have fared as well at MU this year because they seemed to favour more natural girls this year. Personally I also like her more than Venus Raj and thought there was potential for her to make the Top 5.

VENEZUELA - I have never been a fan of Venezuela ever since she won her national pageant, I am one of the few who have never been a supporter, there were a dozen girls who I'd prefer over her but I did predict her Top 16 placement but she only placed 40th on my list. I would be more shocked if she didn't make the Top 16.

So I predicted 11 out of 16, and 2 in my alternative 8, pretty normal for me. I also had Greece, Malaysia, Peru, Spain and Thailand in my prediction list.

If I was to pick a Top 5 from this bunch of 16 without having watched their performances on the night I would have chosen Ukraine, Australia, Panama, USA and Netherlands

Anyway I want to talk a bit about the excluded girls

GREECE - Along with Malaysia and Peru she was the biggest shock exclusion. She had performed so well throughout the activities and she was so right for the pageant that I was left in shock she was excluded. By the end of this whole pre final process she was actually at the top spot for me. I was so upset she couldn't do her thing in front of Isabeli Fontana because she'd have probably advanced to the Top 5, though maybe she was cut because she was too much of a threat to Ukraine - both had that amazing stare.

MALAYSIA - Another absolute shock. She was my No.2! My top 2 both out! How come? GB even dedicated a section as to why they thought she missed the cut. I think if there was any reason to it it would be that MUO didn't want her to win and as she was too much of a danger if she made the Top 5 they wanted to be safe rather than sorry because there's no way she'd perform badly in the interviews and we all know very well she performed well in the prelims.

PERU - Another WTF non-placement, she was elegant and beautiful so I have no idea why she didn't place, the only reason I could think of is that maybe she rubbed the MUO the wrong way (as I said I expected she had a bitchy attitude) or because of her sash.

Others from my Top 16 favourites who missed out: Switzerland, Argentina, Russia, Israel.

MEXICO - As I had said her placement was in question because she was, in my opinion, stiff throughout this pageant process. She is undeniably gorgeous but she had everything against her including Ximena's win last year.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - Thank god

Overall I wasn't pleased with the Top 16 because it missed out three of the strongest girls in the bunch.

SWIMSUIT SEGMENT

I would have liked some more traditional sounding music for the swimsuit segment, maybe a capoeira inspired piece. I didn't like the song used for the swimsuit segment but the segment they used when the girls were walking was fine.

I hope MUO learn from this that the Lux Fan Score is rubbish because it degrades delegates that get 2 or 3 for their scores. They should just not have anything and then release the judges score, per judge, after the finals. I also don't understand why the public don't like Panama, she came bottom on both scores.

I also didn't like the stage, it was too small and I thought they would do something similar to MU2005 with the bridge but instead it looked cheap and awkward.

A small note on the girls

France - sexy and energetic but her flailing arm was distracting

Kosovo - undeniably sexy but I still don't like her look. Her walk was also a tad too slow

Colombia - A bit too pageant patty but decent

China - I actually found her a tad boring, but she was aided by her physical assets

Angola - Sadly I thought she was the weakest out of the 16

Australia - I love her sunny aura, she's such a beach babe

Puerto Rico - I actually found her walk too stumpy and a tad disappointing

Brazil - Her walk looked uncoordinated

Netherlands - Sadly flat and awkward hip bones

USA - Whilst she walked well and looked healthy she was undeniably much thinner than her compatriots and in Brazil that's an even bigger no-no

Ukraine - Gorgeous, her beginning pose was to die for

Panama - I liked her slight headflicks but her walk was average.

Costa Rica - I found her walk too fast

Portugal - I don't get why people disliked her, she did well

Philippines - Her walk looks good head on but not from the side

Venezuela - Surprisingly average

At this point my bottom 6 were Philippines, Venezuela, China, Brazil, Netherlands and Angola but realistically I would have eliminated Brazil, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Netherlands, Costa Rica and Angola, yes Angola I thought she was the weakest in Swimsuit.

Australia, Ukraine and France were my Top 3 after the swimsuit.

TOP 10

Only three of my Top 10 favourites made it here and only 5 from my Top 10 predictions made the cut - a pretty bad prediction if I must say. I let Costa Rica and France stay in the Top 16 whilst giving Puerto Rico and Venezuela a slot in my Top 10 prediction. 

At first I was pretty shocked they left out USA, Puerto Rico and Venezuela but then they all underperformed. However leaving them but putting through Brazil was a questionable decision at that point. I was also shocked that Angola made it because I honestly believed she was the weakest in swimsuit.

EVENING GOWN SEGMENT

Australia - Her gown should have been carried in a regal manner rather than the way she did.

Costa Rica - She looked stiff and the gown didn't work

France - A tad boring

Ukraine - She is indeed a sex bomb

Portugal - She really popped for me

Panama - She looked flustered

Philippines - Beautiful, she was the only one that put it all together for the evening gown segment

Angola - Elegant but not that special

China - She looked elegant but I was expecting more

Brazil - Didn't like her walk

In my opinion Angola, Costa Rica, Brazil, France, Panama were the weaker five in this segment but I would have eliminated Costa Rica, France, Panama, Brazil and Angola on performance alone throughout the night.

I had a firm Top 3 from this Top 10 and they were Ukraine, Australia and Philippines.

TOP 5

I did predict all five of them making it once the evening gown competition ended. Though I was unsure whether it'd be Brazil, Australia or Costa Rica filling the 5th spot. Yet again I had only managed to predict one of the Top 5 from my pre-finals list, China, and only one of my Top 5 favourites made the cut, Ukraine.

FINAL QUESTION

UKRAINE - from Amelia Vega (one of my favourite MUs ever)

If you could trade lives with anyone in history who would it be and why?

Answer - I simply live my life and am very satisfied with it. But if I did have the chance to trade positions with someone I think I would chose Cleopatra. I think that she's a very powerful and strong woman who is very much worthy of respect. And I think a woman can also be a leader like Cleopatra.

My reaction - She managed to save her answer with her last line, if not it would have been a pretty weak answer in my opinion. I know they are nervous and therefore say the simplest things to buy them some time but she could have done without the first sentence and used that time to elaborate on why Cleopatra would be her choice.

PHILIPPINES - from Vivica A. Fox

Would you change your religious beliefs to marry the person you love? Why or why not.

Answer - If I had to change my religious beliefs I would not marry the person that I loved because the first person that I love is god, who created me and I have my faith, my principles and this is what makes me who I am and if that person loves me should love my god to. Thank you.

My reaction - Personally I don't like religious questions and thus answers and what if you were atheist or agnostic? Though you would not dare say that to an American organisation if you wanted to win the pageant! However Shamcey provided the most considered answer and delivered it with passion and charisma. 

CHINA - from Isabeli Fontana

Nude beaches are common in many parts of the world. Is public nudity appropriate or inappropriate and why?

Answer - I think every country has its own rules and regulations and every country has its own habits as well. We should respect them and be more understanding.

My reaction - The flaunting of skin has never been a question well answered and sadly China didn't provide a strong answer either. She didn't really provide anything interesting to say, it was just very standard. And to those who said her translator did a terrible job, I can understand Mandarin and that's basically what Roseline said.

BRAZIL - from Helio Castroneves

What would you do to avoid fighting a war that you didn't agree with?

Answer - First of all I would explain to people the premier quality of human beings is respect and no war is based on respect. It is always on misunderstanding, it's always based on a lack of education. And so I would tell this person that they should respect each other as human beings. Thank you.

My reaction - Did I understand the question properly? Because he seemed to ask what would Miss Brazil do herself which is rather odd. Miss Brazil did very well with this answer, she spoke confidently and with a lot of poise however I just wonder whether she actually answered the question.

ANGOLA - from Lea Salonga

If you could change one of your physical characteristics, which one would it be and why?

Answer - Thank god I am very satisfied with the way god created me and I wouldn't change a thing. I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty, I have my principles. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I plan to follow these through the rest of my life and now I would like to give all of you a piece of advice. Respect one another...

My reaction - She didn't get to finish her answer but to be honest she didn't answer her question despite it being a very stupid one. Why didn't she ask about characteristics alone rather than physical characteristics? Yeah I hate my nose so I want to get a nose job to make it look taller and thinner - ugh. Anyway I guess Angola twisted the question to the best of her abilities but it was rather a waffle.

I thought Philippines was the best followed by Ukraine and then Brazil. China was disappointingly the worst for me. However in review of the night as a whole my ranking was...

MU - Ukraine

1RU - Philippines

2RU - China

3RU - Brazil

4RU - Angola

If I am true to myself Angola was simply average throughout the night so in that perspective no she didn't deserve the crown but everybody is fickle when it comes down to beauty pageants because for the winner it doesn't really matter how they performed as long as you like them it is fine and yes I do like Angola and her win sat well with me. But my favourite was Ukraine and in fact she deserved it so I was very glad she came in as 1RU. Brazil's performance in the final question was strong but she had gone too far and China was a decent Top 5 as well.

However saying all this my heart yearned for a Ukraine, USA, Malaysia, Greece, Peru Top 5.

Just a little side note. I showed the top 5 to my dad (whilst they were giving their final walks) and he ranked the girls, in terms of beauty, like this; Philippines - Angola - Ukraine - China - Brazil

It was definitely a year of unpredictable outcomes and who could have guessed that Angola would be the one standing tall at the end. I'm just going to put it out there, Angola is by no means the best girl amongst the 89 but her win was a good one because she is graceful, elegant and beautiful and my god is it good to have a non-latina winning!

US Open 2011

Just a quick congratulations to Novak Djokovic, Samantha Stosur, Melzer/Petzchner, Huber/Raymond, Oudin/Sock they definitely provided one of the most exciting US Opens ever and America should be very happy with their wins in the women's, mixed and girl's singles.

Whilst the highlight for me this year was definitely the men's final we shouldn't forget how amazing Stosur played to defeat Serena in the fashion she did. And a further congrats to Oliver Golding for providing hope to British men's tennis.

What a year it has been and I can't wait to be at the Barclay's ATP World Tour Finals which I have tickets for! 

Miss Universe 2011 Final (Live updates)

After the incredible high I've just got from the US Open finals I now go into another highlight of this year. As long as this stream doesn't get stuck and crashes like with the prelims I'll be posting a few updates here of the finals so watch out!

2:00 (GMT) It has started!

I'm literally shaking with excitement.

I'M NOT READY!

I can't believe it's all starting.

TOP 16

France - hmmm

Kosovo - not starting nicely

Colombia - actually awful start

China - finally someone I like

Angola - wow

Australia - YES

Puerto Rico - like she wouldn't - birthday girl!

Brazil - FUCK

Netherlands - YES!

USA - FRICKIN YES!

Ukraine - FRICKIN YES YES YES

Panama - YES

Costa Rica - ooh

Portugal - fan vote winner - wow - who expected her to win fan vote

Philippines - I saw the Filipinos fainting there.

Venezuela - F*CK SH*T F*CK SH*T F*CK - sorry.

GREECE PLEASE

I'm not liking the list atm.

Please Greece now no heartattack for me tonight please

Shit a load of shocks

This is a messed up list where is Greece, where is Malaysia, where is Peru

I'm seeing a riot here with Malaysia's exclusion.

Honestly how could they exclude Greece, Malaysia and Peru - they formed three of my Top 4! F*ck I so missed the cut - sorry for the constant swearing.

I new I should have included Portugal, just as I finished my Top 16 I was thinking about her placing because Miss Universe loves returning countries or ones that debut.

Unhappy with Kosovo, Colombia, Brazil over Greece, Malaysia and Peru.

I got 11 out of 16 from my predictions list, I guess that's about right and two are on my alternatives.

I can't believe with Isabeli Fontana Greece won't be performing for her.

Panama wins Best NC

So nine of my Top 16 made it. So happy for Netherlands, Ukraine and Australia. Another four were from my Top 30. Colombia was my No.33, Venezuela my No.40 and Kosovo my No.42.

For some reason I'm feeling that Alyssa will do well and make the Top 5, I hope I don't have to eat my words.

I'm shocked there aren't more "this is the 60th anniversary" doodle.

I won't be updating this until the swimsuit segment ends

Why couldn't they have used the Brazilian Capoeira music for the swimsuit segment.

Why didn't they use the bridge?

Sorry the jittering of the video I just can't score these girls, guess I'll need to watch it later for a proper scoring.

From the jittering I managed to see a bit of USA and she seems healthy, yeah!

Hah I hope MUO now realise how bad the Lux Fan Vote is with all those low scores.

Sadly I really couldn't see a thing from my stream, it was so jittery.

Top 10

Australia - Yippee

Costa Rica - woo.

France - wow

Ukraine - YES!

Portugal - WOW!

Sh*t this is going to be another shocking cut.

Panama - Woo.

Philippines

Ok please China, USA, Netherlands.

Angola - WOW

SH*T CHINA, USA, VENEZUELA who?

China

SH*T! WHO!

Brazil

WHAT!

This is a very weird Miss Universe this year.

So many shocks. I hope the Top 5 are Australia, Ukraine, Panama, Philippines and China.

So disappointed USA and Netherlands are out. And pretty shocked Venezuela is out - though extremely happy for it.

I'm very happy for Portugal.

Wait shit I just realised where is Puerto Rico? I didn't realise I missed her, yeah where is she?

I only managed 5 out of 10 for the Top 10. And if you look at my favourites list only three of my Top 10 made it! Ukraine, Australia and China - I'd be happy if they were the final 3 but knowing this pageant I might only get one.

Just looking at the 6 eliminated, Colombia, Venezuela, USA, Netherlands, Kosovo, Puerto Rico - it looks like the judges don't like Pageant powerhouses. In my opinion France and Angola have gone too far.

I really want to watch how Alyssa performed now because I didn't catch a thing with my stream, I wonder if she was eliminated with justification.

I'm not liking either music performances however the fill in music has been ok.

TOP 10 Evening Gown

Australia - No why is she holding her gown like that.

Costa Rica - uh oh same awful gown, ooh Shandi likes it.

France - Not really liking what I'm seeing.

Ukraine - gorgeous as ever.

Portugal - Not sure about the gown.

I guess we'll be seeing Portugal next year.

I think Ukraine should be a safe Top 5 bet.

I think France will yet again be barred from the Top 5.

Panama - I thought she changed her gown? Oh no not liking her walk from what I could see.

Philippines - Couldn't see a thing, jittered all the time but I know she'll be lovely! lol

Angola - The crowd loved it, she might make it.

China - I think she's in.

Brazil - I don't remember seeing this dress.

I'm going to do a fearful prediction of Ukraine, Philippines, Angola, China. I can't decide on the fourth, Brazil, Australia or Costa Rica maybe.

TOP 5

UKRAINE - YES

PHILIPPINES - YES

going well

CHINA - YES!

very well

Australia and Panama please

BRAZIL - No Feck.

ANGOLA - WOW

let's not even look at my pre pageant Top 5 I managed to predict four of the Top 5 just before it was announced, I'm pretty impressed with myself. However I didn't see Brazil making it.

Yet again MU11 has disappointed me with the exclusion of Australia and Panama. I hope the winner is between Ukraine, Philippines and China. However at this moment I can only imagine Shamcey doing well in the final question.

Honestly though who could have predicted this Top 5. I am not ashamed to say I only got 1 - China.

So the 5 eliminated

Australia, Costa Rica, France, Portugal, Panama

Personally I want it to be

MU - Ukraine

1RU - Philippines

2RU - China

3RU - Angola

4RU - Brazil

FINAL QUESTION

Ukraine - Amelia Vega - Trade lives with anyone in history - Not convinced with her answer. ooh final comment was decent though.

Philippines - Vivica A Fox - Change religious beliefs to marry someone - I guess this should work really well.

China - Isabeli Fontana - Public nudity, appropriate? An ok answer.

Brazil - Helio Castroneves - what would you do to avoid fighting a war that you don't agree with - I'm worried she might have hit the spot.

Angola - Lea Salonga - Change a physical characteristic - hmm... a boring answer but she looked stunning.

BTW what was the bridge used for.

Ok, this is tough, I can actually see any of them winning for different reasons.

erm my fearless prediction

MU - Philippines

1RU - Brazil

2RU - China

3RU - Angola

4RU - Ukraine

I can't believe I'm finally predicting Shamcey winning it all.

Looking back I'm pretty shocked Brazil is representing the Americas when North and South America managed to get seven of their girls in.

I'm going to cheer for Ukraine though. But I wouldn't mind any of them winning as long as it's not Brazil.

Can any pageant experts answer me this, are any of the Top 5 countries considered powerhouses? If not then it must be a first right?

UKRANE UKRAINE UKRAINE

even though I've predicted her as 5th.

Thinking back I really should have predicted Angola a top spot because it's obvious they want more Portuguese speakers.

Not liking the bridge.

I think Angola and Philippines are the current faves to win.

In a way I'm quite disappointed with this year, it promised to be so good but everything just gradually faded.

I'm still lamenting for the lost beauties of Greece, Malaysia, Peru, USA, Netherlands, Australia and Panama.

Funnily I'm not as excited as I was just before announcing the Top 16.

THIS IS IT

4RU - CHINA - wow

3RU - PHILIPPINES - WOAH! better than Venus though.

2RU - BRAZIL - YES!

OMG I think it's going to be Angola but please be Ukraine however Angola would be good as well.

1RU - UKRAINE

WINNER - ANGOLA - WOW

Honestly who would have predicted it, I did think it was between her and Shamcey in the Top 5 but still it's rather shocking. So pageant experts which one of you predicted this.

Angola was 28th on my list :S She didn't even make my Top 16 prediction list but she definitely stood out on the night. Twelve years after Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana won we finally have another African winner. Whilst Leila wasn't my pick I'm rather happy with her win and it makes sense. Anyway I'll need to rewatch the whole pageant to give a much better review of the pageant. It has definitely been an exciting night. See you later!

Djokovic wins US Open

01:24 - No words can describe the match I just watched. Quick update later.

Djokovic wins in four sets 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1. I honestly couldn't watch the third set as it was so tense.

Firstly Nadal jogged into a 2-0 lead but Djokovic fought back and won six straight games. In the second set Nadal yet again broke Djokovic to lead 2-0 and then the two players started to peak with Djokovic winning the set 6-4. The peak of both players definitely came around the start of the third set with breaks in nearly every game, by then it was verging on three hours having not even past three sets. Then agonisingly for all Djokovic fans Nadal got angry and started ripping into Novak Djokovic at the end of the third set. Looking exhausted Djokovic called a medical time out early on the fourth set. An agonising wait ensued but Djokovic managed to fight on and ironically it looked like Nadal that was tiring allowing Djokovic to quickly close the fourth set and claim his third grand slam title of the year.

Sam Stosur wins US Open

In an incredible twist Samantha Stosur from Australia claimed her first Grand Slam title against outright favourite Serena Williams. This is definitely one of the biggest shocks in recent women's tennis, not that Serena didn't win the US Open but that Sam Stosur beat her in the final after her sporadic year. But I am pleased that Samantha Stosur manages to reclaim the dignity of the players of the WTA as if Serena could easily win a Grand Slam in the fashion she did, until the final, it would bode very badly for the tour. But you just need to look at Stosur's Grand Slam record this year to see how much of an underdog she was. 

So we've had three first time Grand Slam champions this year; Na Li, Petra Kvitova and now Samantha Stosur, three women who were definitely not considered favourites for their respective titles or even winning a slam this year. Now I wonder when the teen players like Wozniacki and Azarenka will mature and take their place on the winner's podium or will we see Serena, or other more experienced players, dominating again? 

And finally just a tidbit for you Samantha Stosur becomes only the third woman to have beaten Serena in a slam final, the other two were Venus and Sharapova!

US Open 2011 Day 12 and 13

So just to update all the way back to Day 12 Murray beat Isner in four sets whilst Nadal beat Roddick in three easy sets, which meant that once again the top four in the world all made the QFs. For all the talk of a possible shock it seems like ATP really is at a three way tie plus Murray.

In the SFs Djokovic beat Federer in five sets, I'm ashamed I didn't have enough trust for Djokovic but he'll go into the finals as the favourite. Murray could not find a way to beat Nadal but managed to take a set off of him.

In the women's draw it looks like Serena Williams will claim another Grand Slam after she thrashed Caroline Wozniacki. She will face Samantha Stosur in the final after she beat Angelique Kerber in three sets. I really doubt Stosur will have anything to give against Serena but hopefully it'll be a decent competition.

Miss Universe 2011 The Final Preview

With the preliminary competition done and dusted and only two more days until the final I expect this to be the last MU post from me until the final review. It has been a hell of a pageant with favourites constantly rising and falling but the preliminaries definitely changed my favourites list, for better or for worse? This is going to be one hell of a post so sit tight and be prepared to read some honest opinions on all 89 girls, yes all of them.

So starting from No.89...

89TH

EL SALVADOR

Maura Aldana

Every competition needs a loser and in Miss Universe 2011 it's El Salvador. She looks extremely old especially with her heavy make up but she's only 24. She needs to stop giving the pageant patty smiles and moves because it makes her look even more mature. And I hated how she played with her dress.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

88TH

TANZANIA

Nelly Kamwelu

Nelly looks like a fun loving personality but her major downfall is her facial features. Her prominently pointed nose gives her a slight witch-like look. I like her energy on stage but she just doesn't stand out in the right ways.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

87TH

GEORGIA

Eka Gurtskaia

People say she's a model but I don't share the same opinion. Her looks are awkward and her walk isn't that great however she does have a very lean body which does suit the "hangar" model archetype. She hasn't shown personality which Miss Universe craves.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

86TH

NEW ZEALAND

Priyani Puketapu

Originally I didn't mind her, she was floating in the 60-70 section but preliminaries changed my mind. She undeniably has a healthy body but her stocky frame makes her look extremely short especially with her slicked back hair, ageing her considerably.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

85TH

BOTSWANA

Larona Motlatsi Kgabo

Her facial beauty is lacking, pre prelims people praised her for her cute face but I didn't see that either. She lacks stage projection and doesn't have that MU vibe. However there's some charm to her which keeps her from the bottom.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

84TH

JAMAICA

Shakira Martin

I hate to say it but from Yendi to Shakira! Facially she's not that bad but she lacks the confidence that Yendi had and she seems quite timid, worsened by her body which needs some toning. Chances of her building on Yendi's success is slim.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

83RD

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

Sheroma Hodge

I actually thought she looked her best in the preliminaries but still Sheroma is not in the same league as the best of the competition. Her smile is her asset though so she should use it to her advantage.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

82ND

KAZAKHSTAN

Valeriya Aleinikova

To me Valeriya is a plain Jane. She has a face that is quite ordinary but can be glammed up to look decent. My disappointment is sadly on what could have been. The original delegate Zhanna could possibly have made the Top 15 but we are left with Valeriya who really doesn't stand a chance.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

81ST

SLOVENIA

Ema Jagodic

The problem with Slovenia is that she doesn't stand out. Her weak points aren't major problems but I also don't see many great points about her, that's why she falls into the 80 and below. She doesn't stand out and I find her black hair is too harsh for her facial features.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

80TH

GUYANA

Kara Lord

Kara's strength is her confidence but she needs to be wary that her confidence can be perceived as arrogance especially the way she projected it in the preliminaries. She needs to tone it down a bit in order to not look too "Diva-licious" and masculine.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

79TH

GUAM

Shayna Jo Afaisen

Shayna is cute but sadly that's about it. Her round face and thin hair doesn't work well at Miss Universe as well as the fact that she's only 5 foot 5.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

78TH

INDIA

Vasuki Sunkavalli

Sadly there's nothing about Vasuki that stands out to me. Personally I found last years delegate Usoshi had an elegance and sophistication which saved her a bit but I don't see anything special with Vasuki. However I guess you could call her a dusky beauty.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

77TH

GERMANY

Valeria Bystritskaya

Valeria really disappointed me in the prelims because I was hoping she'd prove all her doubters otherwise. Whilst I didn't think Valeria was anyway near the Top 15 I did think she was better than what people suggested but she just wasn't what I expected. She does have a bit of a Martina Lee don't you think?

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

76TH

ITALY

Elisa Torrini

When she entered in the evening gown competition I was playing the intro of Beethoven's 5th Symphony in my head. She has the same style as most Miss Italy Universe's but sadly her confidence and glamour cannot be backed up with her beauty and elegance. Her smile can be awkward and to me she looks like a rich Italian housewife.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

75TH

GREAT BRITAIN

Chloe-Beth Morgan

I may be from Great Britain but once I knew Chloe-Beth was representing us I knew our bad luck would continue. I'm very happy with her success at Miss International but sadly I don't understand her appeal. Her eyes and nose are her biggest problems and on the preliminaries she looked aged coupled with bad styling. However her snap turn saved her from dropping into the abyss.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

74TH

SRI LANKA

Stephanie Siriwardhana

Honestly I feel so sorry for her with all the bashing comments about her weight. To be frank I don't think her body is that bad, yes not as lean or toned as many but still not enough to be making jokes about her running to the buffet every second. We've honestly seen worse! And actually I find her smile captivating however she has some very bad angles.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

73RD

NIGERIA

Sophie Gemal

Terrible styling in the preliminaries, it made her look masculine and a bit of a loon but there's something quite beautiful about Nigeria, I think it's her inner beauty that shines out but she's very timid and needs to get a stylist!

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

72ND

SOUTH AFRICA

Bokang Montjane

Bokang is an acquired taste but there's some reason why she outlasted all those pretty girls in her national competition. I think it's her confidence that won the judges over. Whilst I find her looks quite polarising I do seem to be drawn towards her when she's on camera.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

71ST

ST. LUCIA

Joy-Ann Biscette

It's always nice to see a delegate enjoying themselves even though they know they're not in contention, that's why Joy-Ann climbs up my rankings. Her smile is beautiful and whilst her look is plain she carries herself way.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

70TH

HONDURAS

Keylin Suzette Gomez

She is totally overshadowed by her afro but without it she'd be overshadowed by the competition. She has some lovely features beneath that mass of hair but it's just not shining out.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

69TH

BELGIUM

Justine De Jonckheere

Oh what were you thinking Justine? Possibly one of the biggest disasters of the night. Her gown was dreadful and her styling worsened her features. She's not the prettiest of delegates but she was doused with bad styling and makeup in the preliminaries to further worsen her cause. She manages to cling to 69th because she has an endearing personality.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

68TH

CURACAO

Evalina van Putten

This girl's spark has truly been blown out. She didn't exude any appeal in the preliminary competition and her plastic nose was more of a distraction than I thought it'd be. Yes she looks better than she was before but just because she's had a tremendous transformation does not automatically put her near the top.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

67TH

TURKS AND CAICOS

Easher Parker

She doesn't stand out but her intellect has caught the attention of pageant fans. Personally I find that she's very well spoken and has a solid beauty but her body needs toning and she doesn't excite.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

66TH

GUATEMALA

Alejandra Barillas

To be honest I don't understand how she beat Jessica Scheel in their national competition but she pleasantly surprised me in the prelims. She did extremely well so she rocketed up to 66th from basically rock bottom. However I would be shocked if she was included in the Top 16.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

65TH

URUGUAY

Fernanda Semino

This girl looks a bit like a teenager amongst the crowd, I think it's exacerbated by her smile. I think there's a decent girl behind what she is portraying herself as but I don't know how she can use it.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

64TH

CZECH REPUBLIC

Jitka Novackova

Was it the same girl competing in the preliminaries? I couldn't recognise her, or maybe it's because I don't know her look well enough because every time I rank her I need to look back at her photos. However she looks extremely old for only being 19. But will her Czech sash give her an advantage?

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

63RD

ROMANIA

Larisa Popa

She was extremely exaggerated in the prelims but I have an inkling feeling she could be a dark horse. However I don't know whether her performance classified herself as a sophisticated lady or an old hag.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Dark Horse

62ND

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Dagmar Kolesarova

She's been disappointing since her arrival and it continued into the prelims but she does command attention with her dark hair and dark eyes.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

61ST

DENMARK

Sandra Amer

I don't really know what to think about Sandra because her look is interesting but yet I think it is too harsh for her. I also don't like her excessive use of makeup which adds too many random colours to her already overloaded face.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

60TH

US VIRGIN ISLANDS

Alexandrya Evans

Alexandrya has been a pleasant surprise however she's still not ready to tackle the Top 50. Her body is stocky but undeniably toned and she actually has been looking decent in candids. I also liked her evening gown.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

59TH

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Gabrielle Walcott

Sadly I don't share the enthusiasm as others do for T&T. I like her attitude and her stage presence but she looks extremely old and verging on haggard. She also slaps on excessive amounts of makeup ageing her even further.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

58TH

SINGAPORE

Valerie Lim

Personally I think Valerie's look is a bit harsh and she hasn't been looking good in candids but she has a toned body and looked good in prelims so she manages to stay in the Top 60.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

57TH

ECUADOR

Claudia Schiess

She was pretty average in the preliminaries and I've never been a fan of her look but she has an interesting style that makes her stand out amongst those that fall below her.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

56TH

CYPRUS

Andri Karantoni

Whilst I don't really like her look she was undeniably radiant in the preliminary competition and looked the best she has been. However she still lacks on stage presentation compared to some of the hot favourites.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

55TH

BOLIVIA

Olivia Pinheiro

She's so over the top and pageant patty that it hurts. She has some strong points about her but her performance is distracting and annoying.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

54TH

IRELAND

Aoife Hannon

I actually find her OK, however many think she's trying too hard, she's no Rozanna Purcell but she's not as bad as I had initially thought. I like her poise and she does look quite glamorous at times, in fact what I'm annoyed about is not her look but her rather random humour.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

53RD

JAPAN

Maria Kamaiyama

She looked confident and sexy in the swimsuit competition but she still lacks real presence in my opinion. However I do love her personality and her constant smile but facially she just does not pop out.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

52ND

FINLAND

Pia Pakarinen

I never really understood her appeal and her rather lacklustre preliminary presentation confirmed that with me but she undeniably has some pretty angles.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

51ST

EGYPT

Sara El-Khouly

I'm starting to warm up to her, a bit. I do finally understand her beauty and she does have a bubbly personality but her very weak walk and lack of personality on stage will be the reasons for her exclusion.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

50TH

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Dalia Fernandez

At her best Dalia could really strike fear in some of the favourites, I admit, but 90% of the times she looks plain. To me she looked rather plain in the preliminaries and I still can't get over her nose.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

49TH

CAYMAN ISLANDS

Cristin Alexander

I never expected Cristin to make the Top 50 when she arrived at Sao Paulo but her elegance and confidence has really made an impression on me. She has a natural charm which is aided by her tall and toned physique. 

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

48TH

ALBANIA

Xhesika Berberi

I've never been a fan of Xhesika and that hasn't really changed after the prelims. Her fans were willing me to watch her on stage but to be honest she looked no better in the prelims to what I've seen in candids. She's definitely her best when she's glammed up in photos but she's not telegenic. However with Fadil by her side she could potentially make a claim for a Top 16 spot.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Dark Horse

47TH

CROATIA

Natalija Prica

Croatia has been a huge question mark for me since the beginning but she performed well in general in the preliminaries so she manages to make the Top 50. Her main problem is looking old and a bit heavy.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

46TH

SERBIA

Anja Saranovic

Her over vibrant personality is her USP but also something that annoys me. I'm not a fan of her but I do admit she has some good angles.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

45TH

MAURITIUS

Laetitia Darche

Smack bang in the middle of the bunch is Mauritius. I was slightly disappointed with her prelims to be honest but she manages to stay in a decent position two days before the finals. She's supposedly the best Miss Mauritius in history so does she have a chance in breaking Mauritius' bad luck?

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

44TH

SPAIN

Paula Guillo

Starting off the positive end of our list is Spain. Personally I'm not attracted to Spain's masculine features but she has a good energy on stage which makes her possibly a Top 16 competitor but I hated her hairstyle in the prelims.. She also trained in Venezuela so she has huge potential to make the cut.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Likely

43RD

LEBANON

Yara El Khoury Mikhael

Lebanon is one of a bunch of beautiful Middle Eastern girls but like many from the Middle East she has the looks but nothing much else. I would like to see her perform well but she just didn't stand out in the prelims.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Unlikely

42ND

KOSOVO

Aferdita Dreshaj

Miss Washed Out Pop Princess plops in at No.42. Being frank she looked average in the prelims but then she was very good in the swimsuit segment and obviously has a lot of fans. I highly doubt Fadil's pair of Albania and Kosovo will both be out of the Top 16 so I think Aferdita is on her way to the Top 16.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Likely

41ST

CHILE

Vanessa Ceruti

She was climbing but then her boring prelim performance sealed the deal for me. She's facially not the best so she needs to excel in every other segment but sadly she's as interesting as a stick at the moment.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

40TH

VENEZUELA

Vanessa Goncalves

Riot in the house! I stand by my initial assessment that Vanessa is lacking as a frontrunner. She has the stage props and undeniably has a beautiful body but her face looked beyond human in the prelims to me, she looked so plastic it was unimaginable. She's so high on my list because she has everything but the face.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Likely

39TH

POLAND

Rozalia Mancewicz

This Polish beauty better start standing out because like so many European delegates she just moves with little conviction however she is undeniably beautiful and can at her best contend with the top blondes but being in such a tough group (the P group) she'll probably be overlooked.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

38TH

HUNGARY

Betta Lipcsei

Possibly the worst gown this year, continuing the tradition of awful gowns from Miss Hungary's. There were a lot of choices for worst gown this year but Betta's "scrunched up tissue paper-like" bottom definitely beat them all. Anyway Betta is beautiful but yet again lacks the stage props which is quite common in European delegates.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

37TH

CANADA

Chelsae Durocher

This may be a bit unconventional but I still like Canada. I thought she looked decent in the prelims despite an average dress and not standing out. I think her best asset is her smile.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

36TH

MONTENEGRO

Nikolina Loncar

She has been climbing everyday for me and she peaks at 36th. I love her personality and somewhat tween (teen queen) appeal. She's also not bad looking and winning Miss Congeniality should mean she's likeable.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

35TH

TURKEY

Melisa Asli Pamuk

She has one of the faces of this pageant but her flabby stomach and her slightly timid performance let her down. However I thought she looked beautiful in her red evening gown.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

34TH

ESTONIA

Madli Vilsar

It was around a week or two into the pageant that I started to like her from initially side-lining her as a clapper. I thought she did well in the prelims, showcasing her bubbly personality however she does need to tone up a bit.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Unlikely

33RD

COLOMBIA

Catalina Robayo

This girl might not have the best facial features but she definitely knows how to work the crowd. She walks with conviction even though it borders on pageant patty. She's an interesting proposition, could she make the cut?

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

32ND

GHANA

Yayra Erica Nego

Finally Yayra gives me a taste of why I originally had faith in her. She's not the prettiest but it is evident she enjoys walking on the stage and she definitely can walk. She has great presence on stage and her gown fitted her very well, it'll be interesting seeing if she'll land a spot.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Dark Horse

31ST

BAHAMAS

Anastagia Pierre

Another former Miss USA contender. She performed well at preliminaries. I hate to say this but her disproportional head has been a huge distraction for me. I didn't want to let it affect my decision but it really has played prominently in my mind. It's a shame because she has the potential to soar.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

We finally get down to the business end of the rankings, the Top 30.

30TH

FRANCE

Laury Thilleman

I was one of the few who supported her after her crowning and maintained my faith in her however by the time everybody jumped on her bandwagon I kind of wanted to jump out. She's undeniably a strong competitor but she is no Malika Menard or Chloe Mortaud. She's a contender but I wouldn't want to see her winning.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Likely

29TH

BRAZIL

Priscila Machado

I was disappointed with Brazil's preliminary performance. We lost that regal queen and in exchange been given a pale and old looking latina. I don't know if it was the pressure that got to her but she's slowly falling back to where she was pre pageant.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Dark Horse

28TH

ANGOLA

Leila Lopes

I never really jumped on her bandwagon but then again I saw that she was genuinely quite pretty but she didn't showcase that in the preliminaries and I was left rather cold towards her. One thing that irked me was that Angola and Aruba were styled so similarly and they were so close together in the running order, will that affect their chances?

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

27TH

THAILAND

Chanyasorn Sakornchan

She wasn't as strong as I had expected and to be honest Fonthip was better than her (and if we look even further back into Miss Thailand's Gavintra, Farung, Chananporn etc etc) but she continues the style of bubbly Thai delegates and has definitely improved since crowning. I would like to see her perform better though.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Likely (due to public vote)

26TH

ARUBA

Gillain Berry

The positive surprise of the pageant. Gillain wasn't even considered pre pageant but once she arrived she sparked massive fear into the hearts of other black delegates. If she can capture her best moments for the final she'll do well but the first step is making it in the Top 16.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

25TH

SWEDEN

Ronnia Fornstedt

I was a tad shocked when she won Miss Photogenic but I do think she's very pretty. She also presents herself well however she needs to show more personality. Her height and lean body definitely allow her to stand out.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

24TH

PORTUGAL

Laura Goncalves

There's something about Portugal I just love. She has a classy look that could also be cutesy or feminine if she wanted. However like with Poland making it from her group will be incredibly difficult with Peru, Panama, Philippines looking like very plausible Top 16 candidates.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

23RD

HAITI

Anedie Azael

Anedie is so adorable it's unreal. But wiping away the cutesy image she's also a decent competitor. However it could be difficult to breakthrough with her round face but she's definitely a pleasant surprise and very photo and telegenic.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

22ND

INDONESIA

Nadine Ames

Nadine performed very well in the prelims and has definitely pushed herself into a nice spot however I'm still unsure about her facially and she lacks presence in comparison to some of the other girls near her in this ranking.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

21ST

KOREA

Sora Jung

I was so disappointed with Sora's styling on the night, she could have been a huge contender but her styling messed her up in my opinion. However Sora still stays in my Top 25. I find it amusing that a load of people put her as a clapper pre arrival but when she landed she was knocking on the door of the favourites list. Also I love that she's bilingual

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

20TH

MEXICO

Karin Ontiveros

I don't for one moment doubt that Karin is one of the most beautiful this year but her stiff expressions have got to go. I'm not sure if her styling has worked for her, we'll just have to see what happens on the 12th but looking at history a lot of the times the reigning country doesn't make it the next year, only Canada, Japan and Venezuela have managed it in this past 10 years.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Likely

19TH

PARAGUAY

Alba Riquelme

Confident, sultry and tall Alba has always been a dark horse in my list even when people didn't take notice of her but yes her major ailing point is her nose, like the thing that haunted Marelisa Gibson. I think she has a chance of making it into the Top 16 but it would be a hard fought battle.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Dark Horse

18TH

NICARAGUA

Adriana Dorn

Whilst I wasn't entirely sure of her preliminary performance Adriana has been climbing my rankings every day. She definitely has some very beautiful angles and can easily pull off both elegant and sultry however will her chances be wilted with a number of strong latinas in the competition?

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

17TH

VIETNAM

Vu Thi Hoang My

Vietnam looked the best she has been in the prelims and has sky-rocketed to 17th place in my list, what a shame, just one away from placing. She was sultry in her red evening gown and didn't let Venezuela's cheers take over her own performance, however with so many good Asians this year Vietnam might have to sit on the sidelines.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

and Finally the Top 16, some changes have been made to my Top 16 and a lot of internal shuffling so how does it look now?

16TH

COSTA RICA

Johanna Solano

A banging body, a beautiful smile and the pageant patty laugh Johanna knows what she is doing and can even carry off a heavy dress. She has pageantry written all over her but will Miss Universe accept her with open arms? It's a tough competition this year.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Dark Horse

15TH

SWITZERLAND

Kerstin Cook

With the classy one sided look donned also by former MU Stefania Fernandez, Kerstin looked ready to do her thing in the swimsuit competition. She has captivating eyes and a cosmopolitan edge about her that could be a hit with the judges.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Dark Horse

14TH

ARGENTINA

Natalia Rodriguez

ARGH, one of the most beautiful girls in the competition but ruined by her hairstyling. How could they make one of the best girls look so common? For some reason she also looked shorter than her 5 ft 8.5. I just wonder if her chances have been dashed because of this.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

13TH

PUERTO RICO

Viviana Ortiz

Easily the most captivating gown of the night and Viviana carried it with elegance and a hint of sex appeal. Puerto Rico is definitely on her way to the Top 16 but I'm just slightly worried about her masculine features, she does however give me an Ana Rodriguez feel.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Likely

12TH

PANAMA

Sheldry Saez

Oh lord I finally see it! I'm finally jumping on the bandwagon. She is one of the best when glammed up, I still think she's not the best in candids but with preliminaries done it doesn't matter if she looks like shit in the morning because it's all about the final night now.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Likely

11TH

PHILIPPINES

Shamcey Supsup

Shamcey so nearly made my Top 10, she probably will if she makes the Top 16 and produces a stunning performance. Whilst I'm not as crazy as some about her prelim performance I did think it was solid and distinctive, which is what gave Venus the edge. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of Shamcey in the finals.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Likely

NOW FOR MY TOP 10

10TH

RUSSIA

Natalia Gantimurova

Whilst I'm extremely disappointed with her prelims (she looked like a Christmas present in the Evening Gown segment) I still think she is one of the most stunning girls in the pageant. Yes she didn't look as good in the prelims but I still have faith that if she makes the Top 16 cut she could be a danger.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Dark Horse

9TH

ISRAEL

Kim Edri

Another of my lovelies that didn't do well on the night. She is definitely one of the faces of the pageant but sadly her dress swamped her and her thighs are slightly big compared to most of the other girls. However it's not all over yet. If Irina Antonenko managed to make it last year, which I imagine is down to her beauty alone, then Kim Edri could possibly do it as well.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

Be prepared, be very prepared

8TH

USA

Alyssa Campanella

WHAT HAPPENED! My favourite since even when she participated in Miss California has now dropped to 8th! I just can't believe what we saw in the prelims. It was not her night, the biggest problem was her styling. Her swept back hair aged her considerably and didn't allow her to use it the way she did at Miss USA and secondly she looked so thin! She was visibly so much more frail compared to the other girls that it was disturbing to watch. I'm worried about her health because she was so much better at Miss USA. And her tan didn't help her either, it didn't look even and was possibly slabbed on to make her look healthier. Is this the end for Alyssa? She's no longer the frontrunner after this performance and I worry if she'll even be able to make it to the Top 16 as major backlash could ensue in America. However her interview and evening gown should be enough to save her as long as she doesn't fall into say 10th place and get eradicated by the MUO for not being a healthy role model to young girls. I hope it's all just styling. Her relatively high ranking is because of her candids and her interview and actually her Miss USA performance, sometimes I wonder whether I'm biased towards the girls I've watch the national pageants of, in brief I think I am but it would take reasonable consideration for me to be biased towards them.

The Alyssa we see now is not the same girl that won Miss USA, come back to us Alyssa and stay positive and healthy.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Dark Horse

7TH

CHINA

Roseline Luo

China is back on the map! And it's not even because of the preliminaries. Something just clicked for me this week that allowed Roseline to find her way back to the Top 10 for me and coupled with a good preliminary performance it seemed absurd not to include my fellow Chinese into the Top rung of candidates. She has been styled similarly to Honey Lee but they're really not that similar. However she'll excel and I can't wait to see her in the Top 5.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Likely

6TH

AUSTRALIA

Scherri-Lee Biggs

I feel so sorry for Scherri-Lee because essentially at the moment it's Top 6 for me and Scherri-Lee unfortunately came in at 6th. To me she has always been in contention and her healthy body and brilliant smile affirmed my thinking. However she should not hold her dress the way she did instead she should walk with elegance and poise in order to stand a chance of making the Top 5 because I think she'll be a good bet for the Top 10 at least.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Likely

FINALLY TOP 5, most of you'll know which five have made it but with Alyssa gone who'll be the new frontrunner?

5TH

NETHERLANDS

Kelly Weekers

Many believe she threw her chances away in the prelims, I don't really understand why because I thought she did well but I do think Kelly could be our shock exclusion in the Top 16, it's a gut feeling so I can't explain it but she does give me an Alida D'Angona vibe for some odd reason.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Average

4TH

PERU

Natalie Vertiz

Calm, sophisticated, classy, sexy with a hint of saucy is what describes Natalie. She has finally broken into my Top 5! I will be shocked if she is excluded from the Top 16 but I do get a slight bitchy attitude from her, I hope that's not true, however confidence is the key to winning.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Likely

3RD

UKRAINE

Olesya Stefanko

Through all the chaos Ukraine has stayed comfortably in her spot. She is sex personified, from that captivating stare to her sultry walk everything is just a teenage boy's wet dream. However she'll need to know when to bring it down a notch for the live finals or she may come with 18+ censorship.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Likely

2ND

MALAYSIA

Deborah Priya Henry

Did you guess it, Deborah at No.2? For all this time Deborah has been patiently waiting in the 2nd spot for Alyssa to fall and when she does someone else usurps her power. However Deborah is still a hot contender. She has barely placed a foot wrong in this whole competition and if she does manage to make the Top 5 be very afraid girls because she's not going to mess up her final answer.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Extremely Likely

1ST

GREECE

Iliana Papageorgiou

Did you see it coming? Iliana manages to climb all the way to No.1 because of a solid album of candid shots and a mesmerising preliminary performance. What I liked about her performance was that it was a little edgy, she used her modelling abilities to make her walk more cosmopolitan for the pageant scene and it really worked even when her gown looked slightly like a wedding dress. Some say she's too skinny but what I saw on the night she was a healthy skinny rather than what Alyssa looked. She's a dangerous proposition because she can make it all the way to the Top 5.

Chances of making the Top 16 - Likely

So all 89 girls done and dusted. I think I am currently operating on a Top 12 favourites ranking e.g. from Panama upwards are my favourites this year. And here's my fearless predictions for what would happen on the 12th.

Top 5

Panama, Puerto Rico, China, Malaysia, Greece

Top 10

Peru, Venezuela, Australia, Philippines, Ukraine

Top 16 (including Public Vote)

USA, France, Kosovo, Spain, Costa Rica, Thailand

This was actually incredibly hard. I'm working on a basis of who could shine in the respective competition. Since Top 16 is Swimsuit and Top 8 is Evening Gown I judged who would shine in each round.

USA will fall in the swimsuit round if she looks the same as she did in preliminaries, if she gets that far.

France doesn't strike me as a plausible Top 10 candidate.

Kosovo is a wildcard really but her facial features could be her downer

Spain doesn't strike me as a Top 10 girl either

Costa Rica has a smashing body so it was a difficult decision to cut her here but there are so many top contenders

Thailand is also strong but not strong enough. Will be a viewer vote with Shamcey getting through outright.

Peru might miss the cut because of her average evening gown.

I think this might be the time when Venezuela's facial beauty will get to her

Australia's way of carrying her gown could be her downfall here

I really think Philippines could push into the Top 5 but the 5 above look more plausible atm

Ukraine was another difficult one to cut but it's just a gut feeling.

I really doubt whether this would actually be the Top 5 because it looks so implausible to me but this is the best I've got atm.

If this does happen I think Puerto Rico and Malaysia will do the best in the final question whilst Panama and Greece will be the girls that confuse the judges because of their personalities. I think China might be the weak link here.

And just so I cover my back I'm going to give another 16 names.

Alternative 8

Mexico - she's a strong contender but her stiff smile is worrying me

Ghana - She has stage presence but I'm not sure

Brazil - Her controversy will be her downfall

Russia - With Ukraine in it might be tough to get Russia as well

Switzerland - Her look might give her an edge

Paraguay - She's facing strong competition but another latina is not impossible

Nicaragua - Just like Paraguay

Angola - If anyone is getting in from Africa it's very likely to be Angola

Bubbling Under

Romania - I have this inkling feeling she's a darkhorse

Vietnam - Might be one too many Asians

Korea - Yet again one too many

Indonesia - Same as Vietnam and Korea

Sweden - Possible with her Miss Photogenic award

Aruba - Regal beauty, could be a contender

Poland - Europe normally does well for Top 15 maybe another isn't impossible?

Albania - Fadil, end of.

Well it was a long but enjoyable post, see you on Monday?