Yulia Ivanova, Miss Russia, won the Beach Beauty Final Tuesday night in China's southernmost coastal city of Sanya.

She, together with Miss American Virgin Islan ds, who was the winner of the Miss World Talent Show in November, would be granted the two guaranteed places in the Miss World 2005 Final.

Interestingly, the Beach Beauty Final was held in a banquet hall of the Sheraton Sanya Resort rather than on the beach, with intervening performances by contestants and an auction of tickets for VIP Seats at the Miss World 2005 Final to be held on Saturday.

The stylish beachwear was designed exclusively by Wilnelia Merced, Miss World 1975. Nineteen contestants were selected after the first round of the catwalk extravaganza. And Yulia Ivanova, Miss Russia, won the Beach Beauty Final at last, with her confidence and elegance, followed by Dafne Molina Lona from Mexicoand Irina Dolovova from Moldova.

Yulia was born and raised in Novosibirsk, Siberia. She was a junior at the Novosibirsk State Pedogogic University and organizerof the student beauty contests. She also teaches a course on stylein a model school. Her ambition was to make a career as a television presenter.

At the Beach Beauty Final, Kmisha-Victoria Counts, Miss American Virgin Islands was announced as the winner of the Miss World Talent Final. Kmisha was born in Washington D.C. and moved to St Thomas, US Virgin Islands at the age of one. Currently studying at Berklee College of Music, she wanted to become a recording artist, songwriter and executive in the Music Industry with her own record label.

Kmisha won the title in the Best Singing Act at the Talent Final held in Wenzhou, a booming city in eastern Zhejiang Province,on Nov. 20, where Miss Italy won the Best Original Performance, Miss Canada got the top place in the traditional dance category, Miss Japan won the Best Musical Act and Miss Czech won the Best Dance Performance.

The two winners would be given instant tickets to the Miss World 2005 Final this Saturday. It was released that there would be neither a Sport Award nor Top Model Award set this year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2005)