Vietnam holds national beauty contest in resort island
Forty-one young women gathered in Halong City , Vietnam Thursday to start showing their attractive appearance as well as intelligent power in the final stage of a national beauty contest.
Some 8,000 spectators at the resort islet of Tuan Chau, Ha Long city, northern Quang Ninh province, glued their eyes to the 41 finalists aged 18-24. Selected from over 3,000 candidates nationwide, they showed their charming curves and gestures in blue uniform swimming suit and Vietnam's traditional long dresses called ao dai as well as their fine tastes of aestheticism in diversified costumes chosen by themselves.
After three hours of eye-catching performance of contestants, singers, musical instrument players and a flying helicopter overhead, the first day of the final stage of the Miss Vietnam Beauty Contest 2004 concluded with the selection of 21 most beautiful contestants who will compete with one another in the second day slated for Saturday to get crowned.
The majority of the 21 young women are grade and university students from major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which promises a more interesting contest round of "behavior" on Saturday when they will have to tactfully answer questions to be raised by the board of jury.
At the islet's water music park on Thursday, many spectators joyfully clapped their hands when the eldest contestant, Trinh Tran Tran from Ho Chi Minh City, appeared on the stage decorated with blankets of water jets and steams and bunches of laser lights, since she is a professional model who has already gained a master of business administration in England.
The girl entitled Miss Vietnam 2004 will win a trip to Japan and 60 million Vietnamese dong (US$3,800) in cash, and represent Vietnam in a world beauty pageant this year. Other attractive prizes include Miss Ao Dai, Miss Best Complexion and Miss Vietnam elected via the Internet.
Before appearing on the stage on Thursday, the finalists engaged in social activities, especially charity work, in Quang Ninh. A great amount of proceeds of ticket sales are to go to the Fund for Vietnamese Agent Orange Child Victims and the Fund for Kindness Repayment.
Some 50 foreign reporters from 29 foreign countries and regions and nearly 100 local reporters covered the contest, the most- awaited cultural event in Vietnam this year, said the organizer, the local Pioneer newspaper, noting that it is the first time a local beauty contest has drawn such great attention of foreign media.
The newspaper has held the contest biennially since 1988. Most of winners in the previous eight pageants are successful in their professional career and active in social activities, it said.
Xinhua - October 29, 2004
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