Lucia Petterle, 22, a tawny-haired Brazilian medical student who wants to become a gland specialist, began her reign as Miss World 1971 after winning a beauty pageant labeled “the most degrading show on earth” by protesting feminists

Miss Petterle wept openly as Jennifer Hosten, the Miss Grenada who won the 1970 Miss World title, placed the glittering gold and jeweled crown on her dark tresses and a contest official draped a gold silk cape over her shoulders.

But seconds later, she was laughing as Miss Venezuela suddenly slipped, lurched against her and knocked the crown off her head.  With regal cool, Miss Brazil clapped it back on and blew kisses at photographers elbowing each other wildly to snap pictures of the smiling beauty on her golden throne.

The 1971 Miss World stands five feet, 8 inches tall, weighs 126 pounds and boasts measurements of 35-23-35.  She is a third year student of medicine in Rio de Janeiro, specializing in endocrinology - the study of the body’s glands and their effect on physical and mental health.

Miss United Kingdom, model Marilyn Ann Ward, 22, placed second and Miss Portugal, Ana Paula Almeiba, 19, third.  Miss Guyana, Nalina Moonsar, 20, was fourth and Miss Jamaica, Ava Joy Gill, 18, fifth.

The two remaining from the seven finalists chosen by the panel of judges were Miss France and Miss United States.

She beat 55 other contestants in the show at London’s Royal Albert Hall which was televised live to most of the world.

She was chosen by nine judges from the film and entertainment world.

The contest was held under conditions of strict security in a bid to prevent a repeat of demonstrations last year in which Women’s Liberation groups hurled bags of flour on to the stage.

While the girls were lining up inside the Royal Albert Hall about 50 demonstrators from Women’s Lib, the Gay Liberation Front and the Young Liberals, young wing of Britain’s minority third party, paraded outside chanting: “free our sisters.” 

A noisy crowd of women’s liberationists shouted abuse outside, denounced the pageant as a “human cattle market” and tied up traffic. Dozens of police shepherded the demonstrators, who carried such placards as, “We are not beautiful, we are not ugly, we are angry,” and “Which cow will win the red ribbon?”

Several dozen black demonstrators joined the women’s libbers briefly, complaining there was no Miss Black Britain or Miss Black U.S. entered.  And the Gay Liberation Front staged a contest of its own in the street, with homosexuals in feminine attire under such titles as Miss Used, Miss Handled and Miss Laid.  Police intervened before the winner was named.

Miss Brazil’s win completely upset London bookmakers who had predicted an easy win for either Miss United Kingdom or Miss U.S.A.

Marilyn Ann Ward, the British entry, was the favorite among the bookmakers at 9-1 odds.

Ranked just behind at 10-1 was Miss United States, 29-year-old Brucene Smith of Port Lavaca, Texas.

Miss World takes home with her a ₤2,500 ($6,000) prize and the chance of earning up to ₤50,000 ($125,000) in appearances around the world and possible film contracts during the next year.

She said before being chosen winner that she would be happy to give up a year of her studies to follow the busy schedule of a Miss World programme.  But she insisted that she return to her studies after it is all over. 

She told the judges she hopes to qualify in four years’ time.  She said she wanted to specialize in the study of hormones and glands.

Lucia declared she would devote her reign to telling the world all about her country.

“I intend to travel to as many countries as I can, meet as many people as I can and tell them about Brazil.  The world must know more about Brazil,” said the Latin-American beauty with a husky voice.

1971 November 10
London, England 
56 entries

Results
1  Brazil  Lúcia Tavares Petterle 
2  United Kingdom  Marilyn Ann Ward
3  Portugal  Ana Paula De Almeida
4  Guyana  Nalini Moonsar 
5  Jamaica  Ava Joy Gill 

Finalists
6  U.S.A.  Karen Brucene Smith
7  France  Myriam Stocco

Semi-finalists
Australia  Valerie Roberts 
Austria  Waltraud Lucas 
Guam  Deborah Bordallo Nelson 
Israel  Miri Ben-David 
South Africa  Monica Fairall
Spain  Maria García García
Sweden  Simonetta Kohl 
Venezuela  Ana Maria Padron Ibarranda 

Remainder
Africa South  Gail Ryan
Argentina  Alicia Beatriz Daneri Batteta
Aruba  Maria Elizabeth Bruin
Bahamas  Frances Clarkson
Belgium  Martine Yasmine De Hert
Bermuda  Rene Furbert
Canada  Lana Drouillard
Ceylon  Gail Abayasinghe
Cyprus  Kyriaki Koursoumba
Dominican Republic  Haydée Modesta Kuret Tejeda
Ecuador  Maria Cecilia Gómez Buenaventura
Finland  Mirja Halme 
Germany  Irene Neumann
Gibraltar  Lisette Chipolina
Greece  Maria Maltezou
Holland  Monica Strotmann
Iceland  Fanney Bjarnadóttir
India  Prema Narayan 
Ireland  June Glover 
Italy  Maria Pinnone
Japan  Emiko Ikeda
Korea  Lee Young-eun
Luxembourg  Mariette Werckx
Malaysia  Daphne Munro
Malta  Doris Abdilla
Mauritius  Marie-Anne Ng Sik Kwong
Mexico  Lucía Arellano
New Zealand  Linda Jan Ritchie
Nicaragua  Soraya Herrera Chávez
Norway  Kate Storvik
Panama  Maria de Lourdes Rivera
Paraguay  Rosa Maria Duarte Melgarejo
Philippines  Onelia Ison Jose
Puerto Rico  Raquel Quintana
Seychelles  Nadia Morel du Boil
Switzerland  Patrice Sollner
Thailand  Boonyong Thongboon
Trinidad & Tobago  Maria Jordan
Tunisia  Souad Keneari
Turkey  Nil Menemencioglu
Yugoslavia  Zlata Petkovic

Award
Best National Costume  Philippines

Did not compete
Colombia  Mónica Buitrón Salazar
Costa Rica  Soraya Herrera