1981
Home Up 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Lists A to F Lists G to O Lists P to Z

   

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

Middle  Gibraltar, Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Holland, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malaysia, Malta & Mexico

Top  New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tahiti, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom, U.S.A., Uruguay, Venezuela, Western Samoa & Zimbabwe

 

Miss World 1981
- an amalgam of news reports -

A chestnut-haired 18-year-old computer student from Venezuela, expressing surprise and bursting into tears, triumphed over 66 other international beauty queens to be crowned Miss World 1981 at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

“I feel so happy,” said Pilin Leon.  “There are so many pretty girls here and I’m just surprised by it all.”

Miss Leon burst into tears as soon as chief judge Eric Morley announced the nine-member panel’s decision.  She quickly dried her eyes and proudly displayed the sash, crown and scepter of her new title for photographers and journalists.

The new Miss World studies computer science at the University of Simon and eventually hopes to gain a degree in mathematics.

Miss Colombia, Nini Johanna Soto Gonzalez, 18, was second and Sandra Cunningham, 24, of Jamaica, was third.

Other finalists were Miss USA, Lisa Moss of Shreveport, La.; Maristella Grazzia of Brazil; Michele Donnelly of Wales, representing Britain; and Melissah Hannan of Australia. 

Miss Leon will get a cash prize of $9,450, a fur coat valued at $13,230 and a public appearance contract worth $28,350 that will keep her busy during her reign.

She said there was a “special man” in her life, but while she is Miss World she did not expect to see him often.

“I will write and telephone him and visit him in Venezuela when I am there, but that’s all,” she said.

The organizers said through satellite television an estimated 150 million people in 33 countries watched what contest organizer Julia Morley termed “beauty with a purpose.”

The Miss World contest is the only international beauty contest organized to raise money for underprivileged and handicapped children.  It has raised $20 million since it began in 1951.

Miss Leon easily lived up to contest expectations on beauty.  The brown-eyed Venezuelan wore a full length strapless green dress adorned with multi-colored beads in floral design.


Bolivia & Colombia


Israel & Italy

Korea & Lebanon

Canada & U.S.A.


United Kingdom & Brazil

 

1981 November 12
London, England
67 entries

NOTE: Continental Queens of Beauty awards were started this year.

Results
1  Venezuela  Carmen Josefina "Pilín" León Crespo
       Queen of Americas
2  Colombia  Nini Johanna Soto Gonzalez
3  Jamaica  Sandra Angela Cunningham

Finalists
4  Brazil  Maristela Silva Grazzia 
5  United Kingdom  Michele Donnelly
      Queen of Europe 
6  Australia  Melissa Hannan
       Queen of Oceania
7  U.S.A.  Lisa Lynn Moss

Semi-finalists
Argentina  Ana Helen Natali
Belgium  Dominque Van Eeckhoudt
Canada  Earla Stewart
Ireland  Geraldine Mary McGrory
Japan  Naomi Kishi
       Queen of Asia
Mexico  Doris Pontvianne Espinoza  
Trinidad & Tobago  Rachel Ann Thomas
Zimbabwe  Juliet Nyathi
       Queen of Africa    

Remainder
Aruba  Gerarda Hendrine Jantiene Reopel
Austria  Beatrix Kopf
Bahamas  Monique Ferguson
Bermuda  Cymone Florie Tucker
Bolivia  Carolina Diaz Mansour
Cayman Islands  Donna Marie Myrie
Chile  Susanna Bravo Indo
Costa Rica  Sucetty Salas Quintanilla
Curacao  Mylene Mariela Gerard
Cyprus  Elena Andreou 
Denmark  Tina Brandstrup
Dominican Republic  Josefina Maria Cuello Pérez 
Ecuador  Lucia Isabel Vinueza Urjelles
El Salvador  Martha Alicia Ortiz
Finland  Pia Irmeli Ann-Marie Nieminen
France  Isabelle Sophie Benard
Germany  Barbara Reimund
Gibraltar  Yvette Maria Bellido
Greece  Maria Argyrokastritou
Guam  Rebecca Arroyo
Guatemala  Beatriz Bojorquez Palacios
Holland  Saskia Lemmers
Honduras  Xiomara Sikaffy Mena
Hong Kong  Winnie Chin Wai-Yee
Iceland  Asdis Eva Hannesdóttir
India  Deepti Divakar
Isle of Man  Nicola-Jane Grainger
Israel  Ninnette Assur
Italy  Marisa Tutone
Jersey  Elizabeth Sarah Walmsley
Korea  Lee Han-na
Lebanon  Zeina Joseph Challita
Lesotho  Palesa Joyce Kalele
Malaysia  Cynthia Geraldine de Castro
Malta  Elizabeth-Mary Fenech
New Zealand  Raewyn Patricia Marcroft
Norway  Anita Nyboe
Papua New Guinea  Jennifer Abaijah 
Peru  Olga Roxana Zumarán Burga
Philippines  Suzette Nicolas
Puerto Rico  Andrenira Ruiz
Singapore  Sushil Kaur Sandhu
Spain  Cristina Pérez Cottrell
Sri Lanka  Sonya Elizabeth Tucker
Surinam  Joan Boldewijn
Sweden  Carita Gustafsson
Switzerland  Margrit Kilchoer
Tahiti  Maimiti Kinnander
Thailand  Massupha Karbprapun
Turkey  Aydan Sener
Uruguay  Silia Marianela Bas Carresse
Western Samoa  Juliana Curry

Awards
Miss Personality  Mexico
Miss Photogenic  Australia

Disqualified
Portugal  Paula Dos Santos (lived in South Africa)


Germany & Austria

U.S.A. & United Kingdom


Norway, Sweden, Denmark & Finland


Miss Personality
Mexico

Miss Photogenic
Australia


Colombia (1st runner-up), Venezuela (winner) & Jamaica (2nd runner-up)

Cross-references to some of the other pageants

Belgium  Teen Intercontinental 1979 (2nd runner-up), Universe 1981 (4th runner-up), International 1981 (semi-finalist) & Nations 1981 (winner)
Bermuda  Universe 1981
Brazil  Young International 1983 (1st runner-up), Most Beautiful Girl in the World 1985 (1st runner-up) & Queen of the World 1990
Cayman Islands
 Universe 1981
Costa Rica
  Mrs World 1985 (1st runner-up)
Cyprus 
Maja International-Greece 1982
Denmark
 Universe 1981 (Miss Photogenic) & International 1981
Dominican Republic  Coffee 1982
Ecuador
 Universe 1981 (semi-finalist) & Latin America 1981 (semi-finalist)
Finland  Young International 1979
France
 Young International 1980, Europe 1981 (semi-finalist) & Universe 1981
Germany  International 1981 (semi-finalist)
Ireland
 Universe 1982 & Europe 1982
Norway 
Scandinavia 1982
Papua New Guinea
  Asia 1981
Peru
  Universe 1978 (semi-finalist)
Spain
 Europe 1982 (2nd runner-up) & Universe 1982
Switzerland
 Young International 1979 & Universe 1980
Tahiti  International 1981
Thailand  Universe 1981
United Kingdom  Universe-Wales 1982