Bottom  Africa South, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao & Denmark

2nd row  Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guam, Guernsey, Haiti, Holland, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Ireland &  Israel

3rd row  Italy. Japan, Jersey, Korea, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico & St Lucia

A surprised 18-year-old school student from a small village in Puerto Rico became the 25th Miss World.

Black-haired Wilnellia Merced’s reaction after being chosen in London’s Royal Albert Hall was to say: “I cannot believe it.  It is a complete surprise.”

She was chosen by a panel of nine judges - five men and four women - from a field of 67.

The olive-skinned beauty - the first Puerto Rican Miss World - talked of her village, Caguas, saying: “The whole village will be jumping tonight with joy.”

Miss Merced, 5 feet 8 1/2 inches tall and 34-24-36, has appeared in television commercials and said she soon will be starting a public relations course.

With the winner’s crown the 25th Miss World also won a check for $6,300.  For the next 12 months she can expect to receive up to $100,000 in contracts for personal appearances and fashion modeling.

Her first thought was to get home to her mother, father and sister to tell them of her success.  Her father runs a sporting goods store.

Runnerup was Miss Germany, 22-year-old photographic model Marina Langner, a strawberry blonde with statistics of 35-23-35.

Miss United Kingdom, a brown-haired 22-year-old model, with statistics of 34-24-35, came in third.

Miss Cuba, Marisela Maxie Clark, a 22-year-old naturalized American with statistics of 35-25-36, was fourth.  Miss Clark, an actress and model, has lived in the United States for 15 years.  She was chosen to represent Cuban exiles in Florida.  Her title was disowned by the Cuban embassy in London.

First Secretary Angel Dalmau told a newsman earlier this week: “We do not recognize her.  We are not pleased this girl is going to represent our country.  She is American now and Cuba has not taken part in any of these contests since Dr. (Fidel) Castro took over in 1959.”

Dalmau said: “It is the official policy of a socialist government like Cuba not to give materialistic things to a girl simply because some people may think she is beautiful.”

Miss Clark was chosen at a contest in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., an area of many exiles from Cuba.

The Miss World organizers said, “She represents free Cuba, or rather Cuba libre” - but the official booklet of the competition listed Miss Clark as Miss Cuba.

Miss Yugoslavia, Lidija Velkovska, a 19-year-old student, was fifth.

The two girls who finished in the last seven were Miss Haiti, 20-year-old student Joelle Apollon; and Miss Venezuela, Maria Conchita Alonso Bustillo, a 20-year-old hospital worker.

MISS WORLD 1975

1975 November 20
London, England
67 entries

Results
1  Puerto Rico  Wilnelia Merced Cruz
2  Germany  Marina Langner
3  United Kingdom  Vicki Harris (SF Universe-England '75)
4  Cuba  Marisela Maxie Clark
5  Yugoslavia  Ladija Verkovska

Finalists
6  Haiti  Joelle Apollon
7  Venezuela  Maria Conchita Alonso Bustillo (winner International Teen Princess '71)

Semi-finalists
Australia  Anne Davidson
Finland  Leena Kaarina Vainio (2nd RU Scandinavia '75)
India  Anjana Sood
Lebanon  Ramona Karam (International '75)
Mauritius  Mariella Tse-Sik-Sun (Universe '76)
Saint Lucia  Sophia St Omer
South Africa  Rhoda Rademeyer
Uruguay  Carmen Abal

Remainder
Africa South  Lydia Gloria Johnstone
Argentina  Lilian Noemí De Asti (SF Universe '76, SF Ambar '77)
Aruba  Cynthia Marlene Bruin (Universe '76)
Austria  Rosemarie Holzschuh (Universe '75, International '75)
Bahamas  Ava Marilyn Burke (Miss Photogenic at Universe '82)
Barbados  Peta Hazel Greaves
Belgium  Christine Delmelle (Universe '75)
Bermuda  Donna Louise Wright (Universe '75)
Bolibia  Maria Monica Guardia
Brazil  Zaida Souza Costa
Canada  Normande Jacques (Universe '76)
Colombia  Amanda Amaya Correa
Costa Rica  Maria Mayela Bolaños Ugalde (Ambar '77)
Curacao  Elvira Nelly Maria Bakker
Denmark  Pia Isa Lauridsen
Dominican Republic  Carmen Rosa Arredondo Pou
El Salvador  Ana Stella Comas Durán (Maja '75)
France  Sophie Sonia Perin (Universe '75, winner International '76)
Gibraltar  Lillian Anne Lara
Greece  Bella Adamopoulou
Guam  Dora Ann Quintanilla Camacho
Guernsey  Carol Dawn Le Billon
Holland  Barbara Ann Neefs (4th RU Ambar '77, winner unofficial Europe '78)
Honduras  Etelinda Mejía Velásquez (Universe '74)
Hong Kong  Teresa Chu Tsui-Kuen
Iceland  Halldora Björk Jonsdóttir (Scandinavia '79, Universe '79)
Ireland  Elaine Rosemary O’Hara (Europe '76, Universe '76)
Israel  Atida Mor
Italy  Vanna Bortolini
Japan  Chiharu Fujiwara
Jersey  Susan Maxwell de Gruchy
Korea  Lee Sung-hee
Luxembourg  Marie Thérèse Manderschied (Universe '75)
Malaysia  Fauziah Haron (International '76)
Malta  Marie Grace "Margie" Ciantar (Universe '76)
Mexico  Blanca Patricia López Esparza
New Zealand  Janet Andrea Nugent
Nicaragua  Maria Auxiliadora Paguaga Mantilla (International '78)
Norway  Sissel Gulbrandsen
Peru  Mary Orfanides Canakis
Philippines  Suzanne Gonzalez
Seychelles  Amelie Lydia Michel
Singapore  Maggie Siew Teen Sim
Sri Lanka  Angela Seneviratne
Swaziland  Vinah Thembi Mamba
Sweden  Agneta Catarina Magnusson
Switzerland  Franziska "Franzi" Angst
Thailand  Raevadee Pattamaphong
Trinidad & Tobago  Donna Sandra Dalrymple
Tunisia  Monia Dida 
Turkey  Harika Degirmenci
U.S.A.  Annelise Ilschenko

Awards
Miss Personality  Singapore
Miss Photogenic  Swaziland

Withdrew
Spain  Olga Fernández Pérez (Europe '76, Universe '76)

Replaced
Italy  Anna Vitale  (went home to ill mother)
South Africa  Helga Vera Johns (disqualified a week before the finals when Miss World organizers discovered that she actually was from Rhodesia [Zimbabwe]. She was replaced by her 2nd RU.)