NASSAU (AFP) &ndash Young women from 84 countries were set to vie for the Miss Universe crown Sunday , hoping to take the global
glamor title now held by The Venezuelan has just a few more hours left in her reign, with the 58th annual pageant set to get under way at 9:00 pm local time (0100 GMT). On the Miss Universe website, where visitors can participate in an online vote for their favorite, Indonesia’s Zivanna Letisha Siregar was in first place, followed by competitors from But the official decision will be made at the by 12-person judging panel that includes , the editor-at-large for American Vogue, actor and supermodel Valeria Mazza. Thursday, contestants rode through the streets of in a motorcade, watched by Bahamians, residents, tourists and the local and international media. “I thought I lived in the best country in the world, but this is pretty… close,” Miss Zambia Andella Chileshe Matthews said “I’m definitely enjoying myself. It’s my first time (in ) but it won’t be my last.”
For the past two weeks, the women have been touring the various islands and participating in preliminary legs of the competition including the swimsuit presentation in , a costume presentation, a fashion showcase featuring local designs and fabrics and a state auction dinner in New Providence.