Miss World 1975

Miss World 1975, the 25th edition of the Miss World pageant, was held on 20 November 1975 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK. 67 contestants took part in the pageant won by Wilnelia Merced of Puerto Rico.[1][2] She was crowned by Anneline Kriel of South Africa. Runner-up was Germany, Marina Langer, third place was Vicki Harris representing the United Kingdom, fourth place was Maricela Maxie Clark of Cuba, and Yugoslavia's Ladija Verkovska completed the top five.

Miss World 1975
Date20 November 1975
Presenters
†
VenueRoyal Albert Hall, London, United Kingdom
Broadcaster
Entrants67
Placements15
Debuts
Withdrawals
Returns
WinnerWilnelia Merced [1][2]
 Puerto Rico
CongenialityMaggie Siew Teen Sim
 Singapore
PhotogenicVinah Thembi Mamba
 Swaziland

25th anniversary and returning winners

To celebrate the competition's twenty-fifth anniversary, ten previous Miss Worlds were invited to attend the broadcast and were presented during the show, in reverse order, starting with the most recent winner. They were: Belinda Green (Australia 1972), Reita Faria (India 1966), Ann Sidney (UK 1964) who performed the opening cabaret, Carole Crawford (Jamaica 1963), Rosemarie Frankland (UK 1961), Corine Rottschäfer (Netherlands 1959), Penelope Coelen (South Africa 1958), Susana Duijm (Venezuela 1955), Denise Perrier (France 1953) and the very first Miss World, Kiki Håkansson (Sweden 1951) who was also one of the judging panel. Additionally, the current title holder (who was not presented with the other winners) Anneline Kriel made a brief appearance to crown the winner. Whether it was planned or simply coincidental, 1973 winner Marjorie Wallace (USA), the only dethroned winner of the title to date, was also in London and created headlines when she spoke to the press at a conference she arranged from a neighbouring hotel to the contestants. Wallace claimed not to be upset about not being asked to the reunion and offered advice to the new winner: "Get yourself a good lawyer!".[3]

Results
Countries and territories which sent delegates and results for Miss World 1975[2][4]

Placements
Placement Contestant
Miss World 1975
1st Runner-up
2nd Runner-up
3rd Runner-up
  •  Cuba – Maricela Maxie Clark
4th Runner-up
Top 7
Top 15

Contestants

Notes

Debuts

Returns

Withdrawals
  •  Spain – Olga Fernández Pérez promptly withdrew from the competition, after an announcement that Francisco Franco, the ruler of Spain, had died on the morning of the pageant date. Pageant organizers concerned that she had been too upset by Franco's death to appear in the finals.

Replacements
  •  Italy – Anna Vitale was replaced by Vanna Bortolini, her first runner-up of the Miss Italy beauty pageant, because she decided to return home to take care of her ill mother.
  •  South Africa – Rhoda Rademeyer was the second runner-up of Miss South Africa beauty pageant. The official titleholder of this pageant, Helga Vera Johns, was disqualified by the Miss World organizers when it was discovered that she came from Rhodesia. Her Rhodesian nationality apparently violated the pageant's rules. The first runner-up, Crystal Coopers, went to London, but her father would not allow her to compete there because it was discovered that Vera Johns was not going to be officially stripped of her title. This was the second time Helga Vera Johns was barred from competing in the Miss World contest and still to this day remains the only contestant to be barred at least twice from competing at Miss World. The first time was in 1972 when she tried to compete as Miss Rhodesia but was not allowed to compete due to her Rhodesian nationality.[5][6][7]

References
  1. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
  2. Beaver County Times
  3. https://www.oocities.org/televisioncity/9699/mcmw75.htm
  4. The Evening Independent
  5. Strack, Harry R. (1978). Sanctions: The Case of Rhodesia. Syracuse University Press. p. 233. ISBN 9780815621614.
  6. Trethowan, Anthony (2008). Delta Scout: Ground Coverage Operator. 30° South Publishers. p. 149. ISBN 9781920143213.
  7. Sally-Ann Fawcett (19 April 2012). More Misdemeanours - And Other Beauty Queen Stories. Lulu Enterprises (published 20 April 2016). ISBN 9781326634148. OL 35077796M.
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