Bottom  Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France & Germany

Middle  Gibraltar, Greece, Guam, Holland, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Korea, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria & Norway

Top  Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saint Vincent, Samoa, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tahiti, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom, U.S.A., Uruguay, Venezuela & Virgin Islands

Disqualified at the time of the session  Tunisia (she refused to unveil her traditional Moslem yashmak for the T-shirt and shorts.  After her disqualification, she changed her mind the next day, wore the outfit and was allowed to participate

A tearful 19-year-old Argentine beauty, who was only a runner-up in her own country, has been chosen Miss World 1978.

The winner, 5-foot-6 architectural student Silvana Suarez, beat the odds Thursday night at London’s Royal Albert Hall in winning out over 67 other contestants in the 27th annual contest.

Watching on television around the world was an estimated 300 million people.

London bookmakers had established Miss Australia, 23-year-old receptionist Denise Coward, and the sombrero-waving Miss Mexico, 18-year-old Martha Eugenia Ortiz Gomez, as the 7-1 favorites.

But the 10 judges, including Argentina’s World Cup soccer star Ricardo Vilas, chose Miss Suarez, making what the master of ceremonies called “a momentous decision,” amid countless drum rolls.

Miss Suarez, from the city of Cordoba, would not have been in the contest had it not been for a quirk in the rules.

She finished second to 16-year-old Margarita Susana Heindrycks in the Miss Argentina pageant, but Miss World rules state that a contestant must be at least age 17 before the contest begins.  As the runner-up, Miss Suarez replaced Miss Heindrycks for the London contest.

The new Miss World, whose hobbies are classical dancing and writing poetry, will pick up about $10,000 in cash and modeling contracts worth another $30,000.

The runner-up was Miss Sweden, 21-year-old Ossie Carlsson, a blond blue-eyed model who is studying to be an artist.   Third place went to Miss Australia, who said she had become a vegetarian “because I love animals too much.”

Miss Mexico, Martha Ortiz Gomez, was fourth and Miss Spain, Gloria Valenciano, was fifth.

Miss Argentina looked stunned when she heard the announcement that she had been chosen from among the seven finalists. 

Miss Suarez, who speaks no English, wept as the glittering tiara was placed on her head by Miss World 1977, Mary Stavins of Sweden, but managed a smile as she bowed to the audience.

She had said earlier in the program “I’ve been studying music for 13 years” and in her free time directs a childrens’ choir.

And despite her beauty, she said “I think the greatest thing on earth is the spirit.”

Miss Suarez said later at a black-tie hotel ball that winning the title was “too good to be true.”

In the future, she said acting was a possibility but right now “I want to sleep.”

1978 November 16
London, England
68 entries

Results
1  Argentina  Silvana Rosa Suárez Clarence 
2  Sweden  Ossie Margaretha Carlsson 
3  Australia  Denise Ellen Coward 
4  Mexico  Martha Eugenia Ortiz Gómez 
5  Spain  Gloria María Valenciano Rijo

Finalists
6  United Kingdom  Elizabeth Ann Jones
7  Switzerland  Jeanette Keller 

Semi-finalists
Austria  Doris Elizabeth Anwander
Costa Rica  Maribel Fernández García
Finland  Eija Hillevi Laaksonen 
India  Kalpana Iyer 
Puerto Rico  Maria Jesus Cañizares 
Sri Lanka  Manohori Vanigasooriya 
U.S.A.  Debra Jean Freeze 
Venezuela  Katy Patricia Toffoli Andrade 

Remainder
Aruba  Rose Anne Marie Lejuez
Bahamas  Donna Marie McCook
Belgium  Françoise Helene Julia Moens
Bermuda  Madeline Francine Joell
Brazil  Laura Angélica Viana de Oliveira Pereira
Canada  Brigitte June Hofmann
Cayman Islands  Wendy Lorraine Daykin 
Chile  Maria Trinidad Sepulveda Pavón
Colombia  Denise de Castro Santiago
Curacao  Silvana Angely Trinidad
Cyprus  Mary Adamou
Denmark  Birgit Stefansen
Dominica  Mona Jno-Lewis
Dominican Republic  Jenny del Carmen Polanco Rivera
Ecuador  Antonieta Cecilia Campodonico Aguirre 
El Salvador  Iris Ivette Mazorra Castro
France  Kelly Hoarau
Germany  Monika Greis
Gibraltar  Rosanna Bonfante
Greece  Ariana Dimitropoulou 
Guam  Elizabeth Clara Tenorio
Holland  Ans Van Haaster
Honduras  Maria Elena Bodadilla
Hong Kong  Fiona Lin Wai-Ling
Iceland  Asdis Loftsdóttir
Ireland  Lorraine Marion O'Conner
Isle of Man  Carol Ann Kneale
Israel  Sari Alon
Italy  Loren Cristina Mai
Jamaica  Joan Marcia McDonald
Japan  Yuko Yamaguchi
Jersey  Chantal Angeline Gosselin
Korea  Je Eun-jin
Malaysia  Kartina Osir
Malta  Mary Cumbo
Mauritius  Geneviève Chanea
New Zealand  Lorian Dawn Tangney
Nigeria  Irene Omagbemi
Norway  Elisabet Klaeboe 
Paraguay  Susana Del Pilar Galli 
Peru  Karen Ines Noeth Haupt 
Philippines  Louvette Monzon Hammond
Saint Vincent  June de Nobriga
Samoa  Rosalina Sapolu
Singapore  Rosie Tan
Swaziland  Nyamalele Nilovu
Tahiti  Moeata Schmouker
Thailand  Orasa Panichapan
Trinidad & Tobago  Kathleen Thomas
Tunisia  Malek Nemlaghi
Turkey  Sevil Ozgultekin
Uruguay  Mabel Rua
Virgin Islands  Enid D'Lores Francis

Awards
Miss Personality   Cayman Islands
Miss Photogenic  Mexico
Miss Talent  Philippines

Did not compete
Bolivia  Liliana Gutiérrez Paz
Guatemala  Claudia María Iriarte
Lebanon  Graziella abu Fadel
Yugoslavia  Ljiljana Bjogovic (arrived in London the day before the finals, too late to participate)  

Replaced
Argentina  Margarita Susana Heindrycks (16, underage)