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.
25th anniversary and returning winners
To celebrate the competition's twenty-fifth anniversary, ten previous Miss World's 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]
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]
^Sally-Ann Fawcett (19 April 2012). More Misdemeanours - And Other Beauty Queen Stories. Lulu Enterprises (published 20 April 2016). ISBN9781326634148. OL35077796M.
Puerto Rico
Singapore
Swaziland
Africa South – Lydia Gloria Johnstone
Argentina – Lilian Noemí De Asti
Aruba – Cynthia Marlene Bruin
Australia – Anne Davidson
Austria – Rosemarie Holzschuh
Bahamas – Ava Marilyn Burke
Barbados – Peta Hazel Greaves
Belgium – Christine Delmelle
Bermuda – Donna Louise Wright
Bolivia – María Mónica Guardia
Brazil – Zaida Souza Costa
Canada – Normande Jacques
Colombia – Amanda Amaya Correa
Costa Rica – María Mayela Bolaños Ugalde
Cuba – Maricela Clark
Denmark – Pia Isa Lauridsen
Dominican Republic – Carmen Rosa Arredondo Pou
El Salvador – Ana Stella Comas Durán
Finland – Leena Kaarina Vainio
France – Sophie Sonia Perin
Germany – Marina Langner
Gibraltar – Lillian Anne Lara
Greece – Bella Adamopoulou
Guam – Dora Ann Quintanilla Camacho
Guernsey – Carol Dawn Le Billon
Haiti – Joelle Apollon
Holland – Barbara Ann Neefs
Honduras – Etelinda Mejía Velásquez
Hong Kong – Teresa Chu Tsui-Kuen
Iceland – Halldóra Björk Jónsdóttir
India – Anjana Sood
Ireland – Elaine Rosemary O'Hara
Israel – Atida Mor
Italy – Vanna Bortolini
Japan – Chiharu Fujiwara
Jersey – Susan Maxwell de Gruchy
Korea – Lee Sung-hee
Lebanon – Ramona Karam
Luxembourg – Marie Thérèse Manderschied
Malaysia – Fauziah Haron
Malta – Marie Grace Ciantar
Mauritius – Marielle Tse Sik-Sun
Mexico – Blanca Patricia López Esparza
New Zealand – Janet Andrea Nugent
Nicaragua – María Auxiliadora Mantilla
Norway – Sissel Gulbrandsen
Peru – Mary Orfanides Canakis
Philippines – Suzanne Gonzalez
Puerto Rico – Wilnelia Merced[1]
Saint Lucia – Sophia St. Omer
Seychelles – Amelie Lydia Michel
Singapore – Maggie Siew Teen Sim
Sri Lanka – Angela Seneviratne
Swaziland – Vinah Thembi Mamba
Sweden – Agneta Catharina Magnusson
Switzerland – Franziska Angst
Thailand – Raevadee Pattamaphong
Trinidad and Tobago – Donna Sandra Dalrymple
Tunisia – Monia Dida
Turkey – Harika Degirmenci
United Kingdom – Vicki Ann Harris
United States – Annelise Ilschenko
Uruguay – Carmen Abal
Venezuela – María Concepción Alonso Bustillo
Yugoslavia – Lidija Velkovska
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.
