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.

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)