FIFTEEN SEMI-FINALISTS; JUDGES; SEVEN FINALIST; MISS GERMANY PRESENTED WITH TROPHY; MISS U.S.A PRESENTED WITH TROPHY; MISS AUSTRIA TAKES THRONE; ACTOR OMAR SHARIF PLACES CROWN ON HER HEAD; MISS WORLD PARADES.




Initials JB/V/PN/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A 20 YEAR OLD BLONDE MODEL FROM GRAZ, AUSTRIA, WAS TONIGHT (THURSDAY) CROWNED MISS WORLD. HER NAME IS EVA STEIER AND SHE GRINNED WITH DELIGHT WHEN THE DECISION WAS ANNOUNCED. THE CEREMONY WAS WATCHED BY A CROWD OF 5-THOUSAND AT THE ALBERT HALL AND AN ESTIMATED 28 MILLION TELEVISION VIEWERS IN BRITAIN.

THE RUNNERS UP WERE GAIL RENSHAW, THE BOXUM MISS UNITED STATES, AND CHRISTA MARGRAF, MISS GERMANY.

EVA, A STRIKING BLONDE, WAS CROWNED BY ACTOR OMAR SHARIF WHO WAS ONE OF THE JUDGES.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS SHE DID WAS TO TELEPHONE HE FIANCEE IN GRAZ, A 29-YEAR-OLD LAW STUDENT NAMED PETER STRALK, AND TELL HIM THE NEWS.

EVA HAS TWO RATHER UNUSUAL AMBITIONS -- SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HERSELF IN WAX AT THE WORLD-FAMOUS MADAME TAUSSAUDS WAXWORKS IN LONDON, AND SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SCOTLAND'S ELUSIVE LOCH NESS MONSTER.

EVA IS 5 FT. 8 IN. TALL (1.7 METRES) AND HER VITAL STATISTICS ARE 36, 23, 36 (91cms, 58, 91).

THIS WAS THE 19TH MISS WORLD CONTEST AND DESPITE PROTESTS BY MILITANT FEMINISTS AND ANTI-APARTHEID GROUPS IT WENT OFF WITHOUT A HITCH. THE FEMINISTS WERE PROTESTING AGAINST WHAT THEY CALLED THE EXPLOITATION OF WOMANHOOD, AND THE ANTI-APARTHEID GROUPS AGAINST THE APPEARANCE OF MISS SOUTH AFRICA, MISS LINDA COLLETT, WHO FINISHED IN THE TOP SEVEN. THE OTHERS OF THE SEVEN FINALISTS WERE, MISS GUYANA, MISS NORWAY AND MISS VENEZUELA.