MISS UNIVERSE 1981
monday, july 20, 1981
Minskoff Theater, New York City, New York, U.S.A. (The pageant originally was scheduled to be held in Guatemala City, However, for financial and political reasons, Miss Universe was moved to New York City and was scheduled to be held at the madison square garden).
76 contestants
PRESENTERS: bob barker & elke sommer
entertainment: peter allen, cast of 42nd street, naval choir
Results
1 VENEZUELA Irene Lailin Sáez Conde
2 CANADA Dominique Dufour
3 SWEDEN Eva-Lena Lundgren (3rd RU Europe '81, winner Scandinavia '82, Nations '81)
4 BRAZIL Adriana Alves de Oliveira (5th RU World '84)
5 BELGIUM Dominique Van Eeckhoudt (2nd RU Teenage Intercontinental '79, SF International '81, SF World '81, winner Nations '81)
Top 12
6 TAHITI Tatiana Teraiamano
7 NORWAY Mona Olsen (winner Scandinavia '81, Europe '81)
8 GERMANY Marion Kurz
9 HOLLAND Ingrid Johanna Maria Schouten (1st RU Europe '81, Nations '81)
10 USA Kimberly "Kim" Kaye Seelbrede
11 ECUADOR Lucía Isabel Vinueza Urjelles (World '81)
12 NEW ZEALAND Donella Elizabeth Clemmence Thomsen
Awards
Miss Amity BAHAMAS
Miss Photogenic DENMARK
Best National Costume 1) BRAZIL, 2) VENEZUELA, 3) KOREA
Remainder
ARGENTINA Susana Mabel Reynoso
ARUBA Synia Reyes
AUSTRALIA Karen Sang
AUSTRIA Gudrun Gollop
BAHAMAS Linda Teresa Smith
BELIZE Ivette Zabaneh
BERMUDA Cymone Florie Tucker (World '81)
BOLIVIA Vivian "Maricruz" Aponte Zambrana
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS Carmen Nibbs
CAYMAN ISLANDS Donna Marie Myrie (World '81)
CHILE Maria Soledad Hurtado Arellano
COLOMBIA Ana Edilma "Eddy" Cano Puerta (2nd RU Teen Intercontinental '80, winner Coffee '82)
COSTA RICA Rosa Inés Solís Vargas
CURACAO Maria Maxima Croes
CYPRUS Katia Angelidou (Nations '81)
DENMARK Tina Brandstrup (International '81, World '81, Nations '81)
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Fausta Lucía Peña Veras
ENGLAND Joanna Longley (1st RU International '74, Europe '81)
FIJI Lynn Michelle MacDonald
FINLAND Merja Orvokki Varvikko (International '81, 2nd RU Scandinavia '82) (13th place)
FRANCE Isabelle Sophie Benard (Young International '80, SF Europe '81, World '81)
GIBRALTAR Yvette Domínguez (World '80)
GREECE Maria Nikouli
GUADELOUPE Rosette Bivouac
GUAM Bertha Antoinette Harmon
GUATEMALA Yuma Rossana Lobos Orellana (Teen Intercontinental '81)
HONDURAS Leslie Nohemi Sabillón Dávila (Coffee '82)
HONG KONG Irene Lo Kam-Sheung
ICELAND Elisabet Traustadóttir (SF Europe '81, 1st RU Scandinavia '82)
INDIA Rachita Kumar
IRELAND Valerie Roe (SF Europe '81)
ISRAEL Dana Wexler
ITALY Anna Maria Kanakis (2nd RU Europe '81)
JAPAN Mineko Orisaku
KOREA Eun-jung Lee
MALAYSIA Audrey Loh Yin Fong
MALTA Susanne Galea
MARTINIQUE Ghislaine Jean-Louis
MEXICO Judith Grace González Hinks (2nd RU Nations '81)
NAMIBIA Antoinette Knoetze
NORTHERN MARIANAS Juanita Masga Mendiola
PANAMA Ana María Henríquez Valdés
PARAGUAY Maria Isabel Urizar Caras
PERU Gladys Martina Silva Cancino (14th place)
PHILIPPINES Maria Caroline "Maricar" de Vera Mendoza
PORTUGAL Ana Paula Machado Moura
PUERTO RICO Carmen Lotti Rodríguez
REUNION Patricia Abadie
ST. KITTS Marva Warner
SCOTLAND Anne McFarlane (Europe '81)
SINGAPORE Florence Tan
SOUTH AFRICA Daniela Di Paolo (15th place)
SPAIN Francisca "Paquita" Ondiviela Otero (World '80, International '81)
SRI LANKA Renuka Varuni Jesudhason
SWITZERLAND Brigitte Voss (International '81, Nations '81)
THAILAND Massupha Karbprapun (World '81)
TRANSKEI Kedibone Tembisa Letlaka
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Romini Samaroo
TURKEY Senay Unlu
TURKS & CAICOS Frances Gloria Rigby
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS Marise Cecile James
URUGUAY Griselda Dianne Anchorena
WALES Karen Ruth Stannard (Europe '81)
WESTERN SAMOA Lenita Marianne Schwalger
WITHDREW:
MAURITIUS Carole Fitzgerald (homesick, withdrew on Friday, July 17th. Left for her country on Sunday, July 19th).
DISQUALIFIED:
HONG KONG Doris Loh (forced to withdraw, as she was 25, not 22. She was replaced).
NO SHOWS:
INDONESIA Rossje Soeratman
PAPUA NEW GUINEA Jennifer Abaiyjah
ST. LUCIA Lydia Lubin
ST. VINCENT Marsha Ann Morris
ST. MAARTEN Solange Apon
LEBANON Denise Sfeir (didn't go because the government didn't give her father a visa to go with her)
SURINAME Joan Boldewijn
ANTIGUA Florence Otto
REPLACED:
AUSTRIA Edda Schnell
WALES Sally Douglas Williams
ENGLAND Suzanne Hughes
SCOTLAND Georgina Kearney
IRELAND Michelle Rocca
(The Morleys, franchise holders for the British Isles, lost the franchise only for that year)
DEBUTS: Gibraltar, Namibia, Western Samoa
WITHDRAWALS: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, St. Maarten
RETURNS: Cyprus, Fiji, Martinique, Portugal, South Africa, St. Kitts, Transkei
JUDGES:
1- Lorin Hollander - American classical pianist.
2- Itzik Kol - Israel TV and film producer.
3- Corinna Tsopei - Miss Universe 1964 from Greece.
4- LeRoy Neiman - American artist.
5- Julio Iglesias - Spanish singer.
6- Sammy Cahn - American lyricist, songwriter and musician.
7- Mary McFadden - American art collector and designer.
8- Edson do Nascimento "Pelé" - Brazilian professional footballer.
9- Kang-Jae Chang - Korean newspaper publisher.
10- Anna Moffo - American opera singer, TV personality and actress.
11- Lee Majors - American actor.
12- David Merrick - American theatrical producer.