Sahar Biniaz is Miss Universe Canada 2012

Sahar Biniaz, 26-year old from Vancouver, B.C., was crowned Miss Universe Canada 2012 at the conclusion of the 10th anniversary of the pageant under Beauties of Canada Organization on Saturday, May 19th. The 1.73 m tall beauty will represent Canada at the Miss Universe 2012 competition in mid-December.

Sahar was born in India, raised in Iran, and is now a proud Canadian citizen living in Vancouver.

She graduated with honors from Stella Adler Academy in Los Angeles, in performing arts. Currently she is working as an actress in film and television. Her recent credits include the lead role in an upcoming anticipated Iranian film “Ambrosia” and a reoccurring guest star roles in two hit TV series “Sanctuary” and “Smallville”, which both air in numerous countries around the world.

Her roles portraying a goddess and a superhero are a striking parallel to her real life character. From volunteering in Thailand orphanages to traveling to jaw dropping locations around the world while raising awareness and convincing people to be organ donors, she is able to achieve any goal regardless its scale or fear factor.

Being voted as one of the most stylish people in Vancouver, she makes sure her firearm license is tucked away and her heels are off while climbing mountains, riding motorcycles or meeting any other unexpected challenge that life might throw her way.

In accordance with her father’s advice that “beauty needs brains”, she has also completed her studies in Business Entrepreneurship from BCIT and Sauder School of business from UBC; and is an avid real estate investor.

Miss Universe Canada 2012 Official Results:

Miss Universe Canada 2012: Sahar Biniaz
1st runner-up: Adwoa Yamoah
2nd runner-up: Majd Soudi
3rd runner-up: Katie Starke
4th runner-up: Kesiah Papasin

Top 12 Semi-finalists:  Chelsea Bird, Dajana Radovanovic, Ines Kipre, Jenna Talackova, Maria Julia Nahri, Sarah Harrison and Suzette Hernandez

Top 20 Quarter-finalists: Casar Jacobson, Christine White, Diana Schoutsen, Kuyan Elliott, Lisa Wong, Mandi Gale, Marta Jablonska,  Vaughan Marr

Special Awards:

Miss Photogenic: Ela Mino
Revlon Professional Best Hair: Sahar Biniaz
Miss Congeniality: Jenna Talackova, Kylee Apers, Maria Julia Nahri, Maria Cecilia Nicolas (4-way tie)

Source: Beauties of Canada

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Transgender Miss Universe Canada contestant loses

TORONTO (AP) — The first-ever transgender contestant to compete in the Miss Universe Canada pageant strutted the runway Saturday night, making it to the penultimate round before losing her bid to win the title.

Jenna Talackova, 23, competed with 61 contestants and was among the final 12 contestants before failing to make the final five in the glitzy pageant.

Sahar Biniaz, 26, claimed the crown and advances to the international Miss Universe competition in December.

Jenna Talackova (center) with two other Miss Universe Canada 2012 contestants

Talackova, who was one of four contestants named Miss Congeniality, was born a male and underwent a sex change four years ago. The Vancouver, British Columbia, native was initially denied entry to Canada's pageant because she was not born female. Donald Trump, who runs the Miss Universe Organization, subsequently overruled that decision last month.

Jenna Talackova during the Miss Universe Canada 2012 preliminary swimsuit competition

The 1.81 m blond beauty, who towered over her fellow contenders while competing in the bikini and formal wear contests, garnered most of the attention Saturday night, soliciting loud cheering and howls each time she appeared on stage.

Jenna Talackova during the Miss Universe Canada 2012 preliminary evening gown competition

Talackova's involvement in the pageant has drawn international attention since being denied entry and hiring high-profile lawyer Gloria Allred to represent her in her battle to be readmitted.

Jenna Talackova with lawyer Gloria Allred

The rules of the contest run by Trump's New York City-based organization say entrants must be "naturally born" females. But shortly after Talackova announced a news conference in Los Angeles with Allred, the Miss Universe Organization said in a statement on its Canada website that Talackova can compete "provided she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, and the standards established by other international competitions."

Donald Trump, owner of Miss Universe and Jenna Talackova

Miss Universe organizers have not elaborated on the statement.

Allred said during Saturday's pageant that Talackova shouldn't feel too disappointed.

"She's still a winner as far as I'm concerned," Allred said during an intermission. "She won an 'herstoric' civil rights victory and that I think is frankly more important than anything, any victory she would win, even representing Miss Canada."

Talackova is the child of a Czechoslovakian father and aboriginal Canadian mother. She has said that she knew early on she was in the wrong body. Her change of gender was hardly a secret before the event because she had competed in the 2010 Tiffany Miss International Queen Competition for transgendered and transsexual women in Pattaya, Thailand. In a video interview for that pageant, she said she had lived her life as a female since age 4, began hormone therapy at 14 and changed her sex at 19.

The controversy surrounding her participating in Miss Universe Canada erupted this spring after a blogger recognized her from the transsexual beauty contest in Thailand and posted about it.

Miss Universe publicity director Brenda Mendoza has said transgender competitors are now welcome at all of its pageants around the world.

But she says it's being left to the individual franchises to determine if the recent policy change is carried out.

Charmaine Noronha, Associated Press

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Miss World Denmark 2012

Iris Reuben Adler Thomsen was crowned Miss World Denmark 2012 during an event held at the Kokkedal Castle in Hanherred on Friday, May 18th. She stands 1.80 m tall and will represent Denmark at the Miss World 2012 pageant in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China in August.

The runners-up are Emma Nødebo Ørum (1st), Monica Isabella Hartig (2nd), Cecilie Arvidsen (3rd) and Bintu Sonko (4th).

Completing the top 10 semi-finalists are Anna Helena Ejdesgaard, Laura Mogensen, Louise Rud Christensen, Anne Louise Madsen, Fie Joy Abildskov

Special award winners are Iris Thomsen (Miss Talent), Anna Helena Ejdesgaard (Miss Popularity) and Sandra Ruud Gaasedal (Miss Congeniality).

20 finalists competed during the event where last year's winner Maya Celeste Padillo crowned her successor.

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Miss Paraguay 2012

Egni Eckert, 24 years old, was crowned Miss Universe Paraguay 2012 in an event held at the Sheraton Hotel in Asuncion on Friday, May 18th. She stands 1.83 m tall and will represent Paraguay at the Miss Universe 2012 pageant.

Miss Universe Paraguay 2012, Egni Eckert was crowned by last year's winner who competed in Miss Universe 2011 in Brazil, Alba Riquelme

Former Miss Italia nel Mondo 2008, 23-year old Fiorella Migliore was elected Miss World Paraguay 2012. Fiorella stands 1.73 m tall and she will represent her country at the Miss World 2012 pageant in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China in August.

Nicole Huber, 21 years old, who represented Paraguay in Miss World 2011 (16th placer) and Miss Earth 2012 (Top 16 semi-finalist) pageants, will now compete in Miss International 2012 which will be held in Okinawa, Japan in October. Nicole stands 1.74 m tall.

Miss Earth Paraguay 2012 is 24-year old Alexandra Fretes. The 1.80 m tall beauty will compete at the Miss Earth 2012 competition.

Liliana Santacruz was chosen to compete in Miss Continente Americano 2012.

Miss Universe Paraguay 2012, Egni Eckert

Miss World Paraguay 2012, Fiorella Migliore

Miss International Paraguay 2012, Nicole Huber

Miss Earth Paraguay 2012, Alexandra Fretes

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Miss World Korea 2012

24-year old ballet dancer with a master's degree in Business Administration, Sung Min Kim was appointed as Miss Korea World 2012. She stands 1.72 m tall and will represent Korea at the Miss World 2012 pageant in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China in August.

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Miss Guam World 2012

19-year old beauty from Chalan Pago, Jeneva Bosko, was crowned Miss Guam World 2012 during the event held on Friday, May 18th at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort in Tamuning, Guam. Runners-up were Tiara Lizama, Feliciana Tainatongo and Christiana Williams.

Jeneva stands 180 cm tall. She bested eight other contestants to win the honor to represent her country at the Miss World 2012 pageant in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China in August.

Miss Guam World 2012, Jeneva Bosko (right) with last year's winner, Miss Guam World 2011, Sierra Robertson

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GSB Favorites: Miss USA 2012

Based on the official headshots posted at the Miss USA pageant's website, we scored each of the 51 contestants to come up with our own TOP 16 List of Favorites for Miss Photogenic special award. Here they are in alphabetical order:

Miss Alabama USA - Katherine Webb

Miss Arizona USA - Erika Frantzve

Miss Florida USA - Karina Brez

Miss Illinois USA - Ashley Hooks

Miss Indiana USA - Megan Myrehn

Miss Louisiana USA - Erin Edmiston

Miss Maine USA - Rani Williamson

Miss Michigan USA - Kristen Danyal

Miss Minnesota USA - Nitaya Panemalaythong

Miss Mississippi USA - Myverick Garcia

Miss Nevada USA - Jade Kelsall

Miss Ohio USA - Audrey Bolte

Miss Rhode Island USA - Olivia Culpo

Miss Tennessee USA - Jessica Hibler

Miss Texas USA - Brittany Booker

Miss Virginia USA - Catherine Muldoon

GSB Special Awards: Stay tuned as we reveal our top favorites for Miss USA 2012 crown and our own winners for the special awards - Miss Photogenic, Best in Swimsuit, Best in Evening Gown and Best in Interview.

Vote for your favorite 2012 MISS USA contestant

The winner secures a place in the semifinals! Voting ends on June 2nd at 12:00PM ET. You can vote up to 10 times per day per account/valid email address.

Miss USA 2012 competition will be on June 3rd at 9PM ET live via NBC from Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

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Miss Northern Ireland 2012

21-year old beauty from Holywood, Tiffany Brien, was crowned Miss Northern Ireland 2012 during the event held at the Europa Hotel in Belfast on Monday, May 14th. The runners-up were Megan Green (1st) and Sarah Ennis (2nd).

Tiffany, who bested 26 other beauties to win the competition, was crowned by last year's winner Finola Guinnane. She stands 1.73 m tall and is a Sports Science student at the University of Ulster.

Miss Northern Ireland 2012, Tiffany Brien

In August, Tiffany will represent Northern Ireland at the Miss World 2012 pageant in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China.

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Miss World Canada 2012

23-year old beauty from Vancouver, Tara Teng, bested 29 other contestants to win the Miss World Canada 2012 crown during the national competition held at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, B.C. on Sunday, May 13th. The runners-up were Lisa Deane (1st) and Tanya Halata (2nd). Completing the top 5 finalists were Thalia Kiriopolous and Courtney Woodford.

Tara is a human rights activist and a modern-day slavery abolitionist who is passionate about seeing all people, regardless of nationality, culture, gender, lifestyle or belief, thrive in freedom, truth and abundance. She works tirelessly to raise awareness on issues of social justice and maintains a focus on ending exploitation of children and women internationally. Due to her extensive advocacy work partnering with many charities, she was nominated in 2010 as one of the Globe and Mail’s Top 25 Most Transformational Canadians.

In June 2011, Tara traveled to Thailand and Cambodia to partner with anti-human trafficking organizations in the red light districts of major cities and slums of rural villages, offering hope to women and children living or rescued from forced sexual exploitation

In August, Tara will represent Canada at the Miss World 2012 pageant in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China. "It would be an absolute honor to be the ambassador for Canada at the Miss World pageant in China this summer, to have your support and to continue this journey with you as the movement for justice and freedom rises up all around the world", she said in her blog.

Learn more about Tara through her BLOG. You may also visit her PROFILE at the Miss World Canada official website.

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