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Miss World: Sayali misses 'Fast Track'
Miss India isn't among the five pre-selected for the finale and will vie for remaining 10 slots.
China's sleepy tropical resort of Sanya was buzzing with energy on Saturday as beauty queens made last-minute preparations for the hotly anticipated finale of the 2004 Miss World contest.
For the first time, Miss World hopefuls will have to use their charms and youthful beauty to impress millions of television viewers worldwide who will pick the winner via telephone, SMS text and Internet voting.
Previously the winner was picked by a panel of judges.
Five contestants have already been pre-selected for Saturday's final round, while another 10 lucky finalists will be selected through the ongoing audience vote from among the 107 nervously awaiting contestants.
At 6:30 pm IST (1300 GMT), they will take the stage at the 12-million-dollar tiara-shaped Beauty Crown Theatre, purpose-built last year for China's first-ever hosting of an international beauty pageant.
After three weeks of hectic preparations and rehearsals, contestants said they were looking forward to the big night.
"I've been preparing my body, heart and soul for this moment for a long time and I can see that I'm pretty ready for this," Miss Canada, Tijana Arnautovic, said.
"I think we're going to put a good show on. Everyone is anxious about what's going to happen, personally I'm giving it my all and everything else is in God's hand," she said.
A soft-spoken Miss Sri Lanka, Anarkalli Jay, said the worldwide audience vote has made the contest more exciting and challenging for the contestants.
"I feel very excited that we are so close to the crowning," said the 17-year-old. "The public should have the right to choose who will be queen, it is even more exciting now that you're reaching out to more people."
The winner will replace the reigning Miss Ireland, Rosanna Davison, daughter of "Lady in Red" pop crooner Chris de Burgh, and go on to perform a variety of duties largely focused on fundraising for charitable organisations.
The five contestants already named as finalists are Miss America, a strong favourite among London-based bookmakers, Miss Mexico, Miss Wales, Miss Antigua and Miss Australia.
They are the respective winners of the Beach Beauty, Top Model, Sports, Talent and Contestant's Own Choice portions of the contest.
For local Sanya residents, the contest is the event of the year with the usually sleepy town at the southern tip of Hainan Island in the South China Sea abuzz with anticipation.
Three weeks ago, thousands turned out to cheer the arrival of the beauty queens amid a colourful parade in which traditional dancers and drummers helped brighten up the normally quiet town.
Before Miss World came to town last year, 72-year-old local resident Chen He had never seen such excitement and fanfare.
"It's great for Sanya, to let the whole world know about us ... Sanya used to be such a desolate place," the retired teacher said.
"This is the Chinese people's pride, and will make us more famous in the world. Development is surely a good thing," said Liu Wenxiang, a 64-year-old shop keeper.
Sanya is reminiscent of many other Southeast Asian tourist destinations with gleaming white beaches and azure ocean contrasting with lush rising green hills.
Miss World organiser Julia Morley announced on Friday that the 55th contest next year will return to the beach resort for the third consecutive year, following the controversy and sectarian violence that marred the 2002 event in Nigeria.
