Universal Ramblings

Stefania Fernandez, the new Miss Universe is from the city of Merida in the west of a beauty-obsessed South American country where hard-fought pageants are something of a national sport, with contestants widely dissected by the public and the media.

Dressed in a flowing red gown, 18-year-old Stefania Fernandez hugged the runner-up from the Dominican Republic and danced in joy as her victory was announced Sunday.

The crown briefly fell to the floor as it passed from one Venezuelan beauty to the next.

But Fernandez said there was time for outgoing Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza to whisper in her ear that she must have worked hard for Venezuela to win consecutive crowns.

Fernandez, who is 18-years-old and “interested in International Relations,” was presented with her crown by Dayana Mendoza, Miss Universe 2008, who is also from Venezuela.

The star-studded judging panel for the 2009 Miss Universe Pageant included Dean Cain, actor and producer best known for his TV portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman.

Women from 83 countries around the globe competed for the Miss Universe crown but only 5 made it to the top 5 – First runner up was Miss Dominican Republic followed by Kosovo, Australia, and Puerto Rico.