The sugary white beaches of the Bahamas welcomed 84 of the most breathtaking women from around the world as they arrived to compete in the 2009 Miss Universe Pageant. Broadcast from the Atlantis Paradise island resort, the world would be in for an extraordinary treat as warm beaches plus beautiful women would equal an incredible telecast.

Following the introductory voice-over from pageant co-owner Mr. Donald Trump himself, and introducing the hosts of the festivities, Billie Bush of Access Hollywood and Claudia Jordan of Celebrity Apprentice notoriety, the 2009 Miss Universe Pageant captured television ratings and burned up Internet broadband around the globe.

SEALED WITH A KISS: Stefania Fernandez, Miss Venezuela, blows kisses to the crowd while wearing her National Costume in the opening number for the Miss Universe 2009 competition.

Culture Club
The telecast got off to a fast pace with the unique and patriotic contestant introductions, as they were each dressed in their native country’s costume. From unadorned traditional apparel to elaborate costumes (think Brazil’s Carnival), the live audience roared its approval as each delegate took to the stage to bask in her welcoming moment.

And what a welcome they received, as the event quickly moved into the announcement of the Top 15. As the volume within the exhibition hall grew louder with each moment, the Top 15 delegates who would continue to vie for the Miss Universe crown were recognized as Miss Puerto Rico Mayra Matos Perez, Miss Iceland Ingibjorg Egilsdottir, Miss Albania Hasna Xhukici, Miss Czech Republic Iveta Lutovska, Miss Belgium Zeynep Sever, Miss Dominican Republic Ada Aimee De la Cruz, Miss Sweden Renate Cerljen, Miss Kosovo Gona Dragusha, Miss Australia Rachael Finch, Miss France Chloe Mortaud, Miss Switzerland Whitney Toyloy, Miss South Africa Tatum Keshwar, Miss USA Kristen Dalton, Miss Croatia Sarah Cosic, and Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez. One of these women would end her night as Miss Universe 2009 after the upcoming competitions of swimsuit, evening gown, and final question.

But before she could be crowned, and following the vocal performance of reality star Heidi Montag, singing “Body Language,” each delegate began the competition in Swimsuit. With the raucous cheers of the audience and the electrified atmosphere provided by artist Flo Rida, the bikini clad contestants wowed viewers around the world with their demonstration of physical fitness and beauty.

Top Ten
How crucial would Swimsuit be in determining the outcome of the Miss Universe 2009 Pageant? Five contestants would end their night as viewers and the 10 remaining delegates continuing the quest were Miss Australia, age 21, 5’10”; Miss Venezuela, age 18, 5’8”; South Africa, age 25, 5’11”; Dominican Republic, age 23, 5’11”; Kosovo, age 18, 5’9”; Czech Republic, age 26, 6’0”; Switzerland, age 19, 5’10”; Puerto Rico, age 20, 5’10”, USA, age 22, 5’7”; and France, age 19, 5’11”. With a five-inch and eight-year variance between all the remaining delegates, the task of judging Miss Universe became a lot more difficult.

Always poignant, the personal vignette showcasing the remaining delegates allowed the viewing audience a brief glimpse of their individual personalities while awaiting the glamorous and eagerly awaited Evening Gown presentation. Serenaded by the synth beat hit “When Love Takes Over” by DJ David Guetta and singer Kelly Rowland, the Evening Gown presentation featured a prism of color and design elements. From bold to demure, heavily beaded to lightly accented, body sculpted to elegantly flowing, the most recognized and most glamorous part of the event offered something for every taste in sheer sophistication and beauty.

Final Answer
All that remained between the remaining five and the crown were the final questions. As the audience held its collective breath hoping to avoid any controversy, the delegates thoughtfully answered the questions posed by the celebrity judges and special guest Miss Universe 2008 Riyo Mori, who was beamed live via Skype Internet technology. And the questions were anything but puff pieces and “world peace” softballs. Questions like (paraphrased) “Should HIV testing be mandatory?”, “How do they feel that some women in the world are not allowed to wear swimsuits while they compete in one?”, “Has being beautiful made life easier or made it more difficult in business?”, “What can women do to overcome obstacles in business?”, and “What is it about fame that makes you want to be famous?”, provoked earnest and pointed responses while avoiding any major controversy.

It was time to crown Miss Universe 2009 following the final runway presentation. As determined by the panel of judges and revealed to the world, fourth runner-up Miss Puerto Rico, third runner-up Miss Australia, and second runner-up Miss Kosovo. It all came down to two remaining delegates. Would history repeat itself as wondered earlier by host Billy Bush?

Déjà vu
With the delegates holding their breath, history would indeed be repeated as Miss Kosovo garnered first runner-up and Miss Venezuela once again captured the title of Miss Universe. As the country of Venezuela celebrated another title and the Bahamas celebrated in hosting the prestigious and successful event, Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza exuberantly embraced her successor and fellow countrywoman Stefania Fernandez, Miss Universe 2009.

For the complete behind-the-scenes story and all the details on this and other exciting competitive events from across America, as well as a wealth of advice to improve your chances of victory, be sure to Order Pageantry today.