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Siberia - where beauty contests are not infected by political correctness!

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24 June 2013

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Here in southern Siberia, the contest has all the traditional elements of Russian beauty contests, including a parade in long dresses and contestants asked to prove they have brains as well as beauty. Picture: Yevgeny Zolotuhin

Last year the Miss Italy contest outlawed revealing swim wear for more modest attire. The Miss World contest in Indonesia in September is replacing bikinis, historically an integral part of the contest, with Balinese-style sarongs for the 137 contestants in the September pageant.

'There will no bikini in this year's Miss World pageant to respect our traditional customs and values,' explained Adjie S. Soeratmadjie, a local organiser.

There is a serious element to the issue, of course, with the Miss World organisers understandably keen not to outrage local Muslim opinion in Jakarta. 

'Indonesia is designing for us a very beautiful one-piece beachwear, and I'm very happy with them,, explained Julia Morley, head of the Miss World Organisation. 'We like to work in the manner respectful to every country, and I cannot see why when you go to somebody's country you should not behave respectfully.'

Still some people remain unhappy at the pageant. 

'That contest is just an excuse to show women's body parts that should remain covered,' complained Mukri Aji, a prominent cleric from West Java.  

'It's against Islamic teachings'.

Miss Kemerovo 2013

Miss Kemerovo 2013 Siberia

Miss Kemerovo 2013 beauty contest. Pictures: Yevgeny Zolotuhin

In Italy, however, there was a backlash at the cover-up. 

'Can you imagine these little darlings dressed in clothes their grandmothers would have worn?' thundered Il Giornale, a newspaper owned by the family of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

'Surely the point of Miss Italy is that it is a beauty contest. The idea being to pick a beautiful Italian with the best legs, the sexiest curves and the perfect figure. If we are to cover the bottom, the object of male dreams, with centimetres of cloth what sense does the competition have?'

If your view veers in this direction, then please head for Kemerovo where our pictures show the bikini censors have not yet reached Siberia. 

Here in southern Siberia, the contest has all the traditional elements of Russian beauty contests, including a parade in long dresses and contestants asked to prove they have brains as well as beauty, for example what you find in the middle of the Kemerovo coat of arms - a chemical retort - or for their knowledge of classical music. 

But certainly the leopard print bikini parade was there too, though in fact some of the contestants opted for one piece swimsuits. 

Miss Kemerovo 2013 Siberia



Miss Kemerovo 2013 Siberia


Miss Kemerovo 2013 Siberia


Miss Kemerovo 2013 Siberia

Kemerovo Beauty Contest 2013 director Kseniya Kostova said that she was very happy with the region's first fully-fledged beauty contest and is determined to make it an annual event. Pictures: Yevgeny Zolotuhin

In fact, this is the first time Kemerovo region - increasingly marketing itself as a tourist region with sensational ski-ing on its majestic mountains (and also, as legend has it, the best place for spotting the elusive Yeti in Russia) - has staged a full scale contest, which is now set to become an annual fixture. 

The winner was 20 year old parachuting enthusiast Ekaterina Bondarenko, a student of Kemerovo State University and a model since age of 18. She scooped the main prize, a Daewoo Nexia, and now plans to start driving lessons.  

'I didn't believe I would win until my name was announced,' she said. 'My parents and boyfriend, who watched me from the audience, called me right after I was crowned. I don't know what the word 'fear' means. I don't have any. I've jumped with a parachute five times already'.

Miss Kemerovo 2013 Siberia


Miss Kemerovo 2013 Siberia

Miss Kemerovo 2013, 20 years old Ekaterina Bondarenko.  Pictures: Yevgeny Zolotuhin

Kemerovo Beauty Contest 2013 director Kseniya Kostova said that she was very happy with the region's first fully-fledged beauty contest and is determined to make it an annual event. 

'I used to take part in beauty contests myself but never won,' she said. 'Today my dream came true, and the winner of the contest won it fairly'.

Comments (4)

Political correctness? Nyet!

"Those Ukraine girls really knock me out, they leave the West behind..."

Good for Russia!

(Now, can I be friends with that sweetheart, top row, fourth from the left, in the group (all dressed in blue) pic of Kemerovo Beauty Contest 2013. )
writeby, Dallas, TX, USA
29/07/2013 04:17
3
1
This wonderful article and these wonderful pictures prove even more that it is vital that Russia and the USA become and remain VERY CLOSE FRIENDS!!!!
Roger J. Buffington, Huntington Beach, USA
28/07/2013 11:15
7
3
Greetings from the USA. Congrats to the winner. Good on you all for keeping the "beauty" in beauty contest.
jocon307, belford, nj
28/07/2013 11:09
7
1
help what a diet, two apples a day...!
Ciara , Italy
26/06/2013 18:09
4
2
1

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