Miss World 1975

{{Short description|International beauty pageant}} {{pp-sock|small=yes}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}} {{Use British English|date=November 2015}} {{Infobox beauty pageant | winner = [[Wilnelia Merced]]<ref name=autogenerated2>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19761119&id=ZoBIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=T20DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5388,2064544&hl=en ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'']</ref><ref name=autogenerated1>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2002&dat=19751121&id=gHIvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YNsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2606,4931094&hl=en ''Beaver County Times'']</ref> | represented = Puerto Rico | date = 20 November 1975 | presenters = {{Hlist|[[David Vine]]}} | venue = [[Royal Albert Hall]], [[London]], United Kingdom | broadcaster = {{Hlist|[[BBC]]}} | entrants = 67 | placements = 15 | debuts = {{Hlist|Curaçao|El Salvador|Haiti|Saint Lucia|Swaziland}} | returns = {{Hlist|Bolivia|Cuba|Iceland|Luxembourg|Mauritius|Peru|Seychelles|Trinidad and Tobago|Turkey|Uruguay}} | withdraws = {{Hlist|Botswana|Ecuador|Jamaica|Madagascar|Spain|Zambia}} | congeniality = Maggie Siew Teen Sim Singapore | photogenic = Vinah Thembi Mamba Swaziland | before = [[Miss World 1974|1974]] | next = [[Miss World 1976|1976]] }}

'''Miss World 1975''' was the 25th edition of the [[Miss World]] pageant, held on 20 November 1975 at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] in London, United Kingdom. 67 contestants took part in the pageant won by [[Wilnelia Merced]] of [[Puerto Rico]].<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref name=autogenerated1 /> She was crowned by [[Anneline Kriel]] of [[South Africa]]. Runner-up was Germany, Marina Langer, third place was Vicki Harris representing the United Kingdom, fourth place was Maricela Maxie Clark of Cuba, and Yugoslavia's Ladija Verkovska completed the top five.

== Background == === Selection of participants ===

==== Replacements ==== Anna Vitale of Italy was replaced by Vanna Bortolini, her first runner-up of the [[Miss Italy]], because she decided to return home to take care of her ill mother and Rhoda Rademeyer of South Africa was the second runner-up of [[Miss South Africa]]. The official titleholder, Helga Vera Johns, was disqualified by the Miss World organizers when it was discovered that she came from [[Rhodesia]]. Her Rhodesian nationality apparently violated the pageant's rules. The first runner-up, Crystal Coopers, went to London, but her father would not allow her to compete there because it was discovered that Vera Johns was not going to be officially stripped of her title. This was the second time Helga Vera Johns was barred from competing in the Miss World contest and still to this day remains the only contestant to be barred at least twice from competing at Miss World. The first time was in [[Miss World 1972|1972]] when she tried to compete as [[Miss Rhodesia]] but was not allowed to compete due to her Rhodesian nationality.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZVt0AAAAMAAJ&q=Miss+Rhodesia|title=Sanctions: The Case of Rhodesia|last=Strack|first=Harry R.|date=1978|publisher=Syracuse University Press|isbn=9780815621614|pages=233|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cCCiE0_RDSMC&q=miss+rhodesia&pg=PA149|title=Delta Scout: Ground Coverage Operator|last=Trethowan|first=Anthony|date=2008|publisher=30° South Publishers|isbn=9781920143213|pages=149|language=en}}</ref>

==== Debuts, returns, and, withdrawals ==== This edition marked the debut of Curaçao, El Salvador, Haiti, Saint Lucia and Swaziland and the return of Bolivia, Cuba, Iceland, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Peru, Seychelles, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey and Uruguay. Cuba, which last competed in [[Miss World 1955|1955]], Bolivia and Uruguay last competed in [[Miss World 1965|1965]], Trinidad and Tobago last competed in [[Miss World 1971|1971]] and Iceland, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Peru, Seychelles and Turkey last competed in [[Miss World 1973|1973]].

Botswana, Ecuador, Jamaica, Madagascar, and Zambia, withdrew from the competition for unknown reasons. Olga Fernández Pérez of Spain promptly withdrew from the competition, after an announcement that [[Francisco Franco]], the ruler of Spain, had died on the morning of the pageant date. Pageant organizers concerned that she had been too upset by Franco's death to appear in the finals.

== Results == [[File:Miss World 1975 Map.PNG|thumb|250px|Countries and territories which sent delegates and results for Miss World 1975<ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref name=autogenerated3>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19751121&id=pvcLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_VcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4014,1272411&hl=en ''The Evening Independent'']</ref>]]

=== Placements === {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;" |- ! Placement ! Contestant |- | '''Miss World 1975''' | * '''{{flag|Puerto Rico|1952}}''' – '''[[Wilnelia Merced]]'''<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref name=autogenerated1 /> |- | 1st runner-up | * {{flag|West Germany}} – Marina Langner<ref name=autogenerated3 /> |- | 2nd runner-up | * {{flag|United Kingdom}} – Vicki Harris<ref name=autogenerated3 /> |- | 3rd runner-up | * {{flag|Cuba}} – Maricela Maxie Clark |- | 4th runner-up | * {{flag|Yugoslavia}} – Lidija Velkovska |- | Top 7 | * {{flag|Haiti|civil}} – Joelle Apollon * {{flag|Venezuela|1954}} – [[María Conchita Alonso|María Concepción "María Conchita" Alonso]] |- | Top 15 | * {{flag|Australia}} – Anne Davidson * {{flag|Finland}} – Leena Kaarina Vainio * {{flag|India}} – Anjana Sood * {{flag|Lebanon}} – Ramona Keram * {{flag|Mauritius}} – Mariella Tse-Sik-Sun * {{flag|Saint Lucia|1967}} – Sophia St. Omer * {{flag|South Africa|1928}} – Rhoda Rademeyer * {{flag|Uruguay}} – Carmen Abal |}

== Contestants == {{div col|colwidth=30em}} * {{flag|Argentina|alt}} – Lilian Noemí De Asti<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=9 July 1976 |title=Kissinger, el personaje preferido |language=es |pages=3B |work=El Tiempo |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8HQbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6FAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=848%2C1881743 |access-date=3 May 2025}}</ref> * {{flag|Netherlands Antilles|1959|name=Aruba}} – Cynthia Marlene Bruin * {{flag|Australia}} – Anne Davidson * {{flag|Austria}} – Rosemarie Holzschuh<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calderon |first=Beatriz |date=25 September 2023 |title="Me gustan los frijoles y las pupusas": esto dijo la finlandesa que ganó Miss Universo 1975 sobre El Salvador |url=https://www.laprensagrafica.com/farandula/Me-gustan-los-frijoles-y-las-pupusas-esto-dijo-la-finlandesa-que-gano-Miss-Universo-1975-sobre-El-Salvador-20230630-0018.html |access-date=3 May 2025 |website=La Prensa Grafica |language=en}}</ref>  * {{flag|Bahamas}} – Ava Marilyn Burke * {{flag|Barbados}} – Peta Hazel Greaves * {{flag|Belgium}} – Christine Delmelle * {{flag|Bermuda}} – Donna Louise Wright * {{flag|Bolivia|civil}} – María Mónica Guardia<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 1975 |title=Photo album of 1975 Miss Bermuda |language=en |pages=20–25 |work=Fame Magazine |url=https://bnl.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16347coll1/id/3155/rec/74 |access-date=3 May 2025 |via=Bermuda National Library}}</ref>  * {{flag|Brazil|1968}} – Zaida Souza Costa * {{flag|Canada}} – Normande Jacques * {{flag|Colombia}} – Amanda Amaya Correa * {{flag|Costa Rica}} – María Mayela Bolaños Ugalde * {{flag|Cuba}} – Maricela Clark<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 November 1975 |title=Miss 'Free Cuba' debunks protest |language=en |pages=40 |work=St. Petersburg Times |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D9BQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UF8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6833%2C3983995 |access-date=3 May 2025 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref>  * {{flag|Netherlands Antilles|1959|name=Curaçao}} – Elvira Nelly Maria Bakker * {{flag|Denmark}} – Pia Isa Lauridsen * {{flag|Dominican Republic|civil}} – Carmen Rosa Arredondo Pou * {{flag|El Salvador}} – Ana Stella Comas Durán * {{flag|Finland}} – Leena Kaarina Vainio<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 February 2024 |title=Suomen kaunein toivoi maailmanrauhaa, ja kirkossa riehuneille langetettiin kuritushuonetta ja vankeutta |trans-title=The most beautiful of Finland wished for world peace, and those who rioted in the church were sentenced to punishment room and imprisonment |url=https://tl.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Miss_World_1975&action=edit&section=11a/art-2000010195190.html |access-date=3 May 2025 |website=Wikipedia |language=fi}}</ref>  * {{flag|France}} – [[Sophie Perin|Sophie Perin]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dematte |first=Delphine |date=18 November 2021 |title=Metz. Savez-vous qui a été élue Miss France puis Miss International ? |url=https://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/insolite/2021/11/18/savez-vous-qui-a-ete-elu-miss-france-puis-miss-international |access-date=3 May 2025 |website=Le Républicain Lorrain |language=FR-fr}}</ref> * {{flag|Gibraltar|ensign}} – Lillian Anne Lara * {{flag|Greece|old}} – Bella Adamopoulou * {{flag|Guam}} – Dora Ann Quintanilla Camacho * {{flag|Guernsey|1936}} – Carol Dawn Le Billon<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 November 1975 |title=Missen dansen door Londen |language=nl |pages=3 |work=Nieuwsblad van het Noorden |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011017394:mpeg21:p003 |access-date=3 May 2025 |via=Delpher}}</ref> * {{flag|Haiti|civil}} – Joelle Apollon * {{flag|Holland}} – Barbara Ann Neefs * {{flag|Honduras|1949}} – Etelinda Mejía Velásquez * {{flag|British Hong Kong|name=Hong Kong}} – Teresa Chu Tsui-Kuen * {{flag|Iceland}} – Halldóra Björk Jónsdóttir * {{flag|India}} – Anjana Sood * {{flag|Ireland}} – Elaine O'Hora<ref>{{cite news |date=25 October 1975 |title=THE NEW MISS IRELAND |pages=4 |work=[[The Herald (Ireland)|Evening Herald]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-herald-the-new-miss-ireland/187477466/ |access-date=17 March 2026 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> * {{flag|Israel}} – Atida Mor * {{flag|Italy}} – Vanna Bortolini * {{flag|Japan|1947}} – Chiharu Fujiwara * {{flag|Jersey|old}} – Susan Maxwell de Gruchy * {{flag|Lebanon}} – Ramona Karam * {{flag|Luxembourg}} – Marie Thérèse Manderschied<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 November 1975 |title=Puerto Rico beauty reigns as Miss World |language=en |pages=26 |work=The Leader-Post |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QT5VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Pj4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=3815%2C1814237 |access-date=3 May 2025 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref>  * {{flag|Malaysia}} – Fauziah Haron<ref>{{Cite web |title=JOHORE GIRL CROWNED MISS MALAYSIA |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19751013-1.2.69.3?qt=miss,%20international,%20malaysia&q=miss%20international%20malaysia |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=eresources.nlb.gov.sg}}</ref> * {{flag|Malta}} – Marie Grace Ciantar * {{flag|Mauritius}} – Marielle Tse Sik-Sun * {{flag|Mexico}} – Blanca Patricia López Esparza * {{flag|New Zealand}} – Janet Nugent<ref>{{cite news |last=Tocker |first=Fleur |title=‘Miss Horowhenua’ crowned |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1975/04/22/18 |work=[[The Press]] |page=18 |access-date=3 January 2026 |date=22 April 1975 |location=[[Christchurch]], New Zealand |via=[[National Library of New Zealand#Papers Past|Papers Past]]}}</ref> * {{flag|Nicaragua}} – María Auxiliadora Paguaga Mantilla * {{flag|Norway}} – Sissel Gulbrandsen * {{flag|Peru}} – Mary Orfanides Canakis * {{flag|Philippines|1936}} – Suzanne Gonzalez<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burton-Titular |first=Joyce |date=1 October 2013 |title=From Vivien to Megan: The PH in Miss World history |url=https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/pageants/40304-philippines-miss-world-history/ |access-date=3 May 2025 |website=[[Rappler]] |language=en-US}}</ref>  * {{flag|Puerto Rico|1952}} – [[Wilnelia Merced]]{{cn|date=May 2025}} * {{flag|Saint Lucia|1967}} – Sophia St. Omer * {{flag|Seychelles|1961}} – Amelie Lydia Michel<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 November 1975 |title=Enchanting piper... |language=en |pages=5 |work=Evening Times |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WINAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xqcMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5589%2C521223 |access-date=3 May 2025 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref> * {{flag|Singapore}} – Maggie Siew Teen Sim * {{flag|South Africa|1928}}{{Efn|Competed as Africa South in the pageant}} – Lydia Gloria Johnstone * {{flag|South Africa|1928}} – Rhoda Rademeyer * {{flag|South Korea}}{{Efn|Competed as Korea in the pageant}} – Lee Sung-hee<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 November 1975 |title=Beauties get together |language=en |pages=6 |work=New Nation |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/page/newnation19751111-1.1.6 |access-date=3 May 2025 |via=National Library Board}}</ref>  * {{flag|Sri Lanka}} – Angela Seneviratne * {{flag|Swaziland}} – Vinah Thembi Mamba<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 November 1975 |title=Six of the best |language=en |pages=1 |work=Daily Post |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed-miss-sa-as/141084131/ |access-date=3 May 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> * {{flag|Sweden}} – Agneta Catharina Magnusson * {{flag|Switzerland}} – Franziska Angst * {{flag|Thailand}} – Raevadee Pattamaphong<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 November 1975 |title=A slight flutter over two Miss World contestants |language=en |pages=3 |work=The Straits Times |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/page/straitstimes19751114-1.1.3 |access-date=3 May 2025 |via=National Library Board}}</ref>  * {{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}} – Donna Sandra Dalrymple * {{flag|Tunisia}} – Monia Dida * {{flag|Turkey}} – Harika Değirmenci<ref>{{Cite news|date=4 May 2020|last=Tarihi|first=Güncelleme|title=Güzeller canlı yayında buluştu|trans-title=Beauties met on live broadcast|url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/galeri-1929dan-gunumuze-turkiye-guzelleri-41508916|access-date=29 April 2025|website=[[Hürriyet]]|language=tr|archive-date=2 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102125519/https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/galeri-1929dan-gunumuze-turkiye-guzelleri-41508916|url-status=live}}</ref> * {{flag|United Kingdom}} – Vicki Ann Harris<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 November 1975 |title=Competing |pages=1 |work=Gazette News-Current |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/gazette-news-current/144819617/ |access-date=3 May 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> * {{flag|United States}} – Annelise Ilschenko * {{flag|Uruguay}} – Carmen Abal * {{flag|Venezuela|1954}} – [[María Conchita Alonso|María Concepción "María Conchita" Alonso]] * {{flag|West Germany}} – Marina Langner<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 November 1975 |title=Miss runner-up bares it all... |language=en |pages=5 |work=New Nation |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/page/newnation19751122-1.1.5 |access-date=3 May 2025 |via=[[National Library Board]]}}</ref> * {{flag|Yugoslavia}} – Lidija Velkovska {{div col end}}

== Notes == {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Miss World]] [[Category:1975 in London]] [[Category:1975 beauty pageants]] [[Category:Beauty pageants in England]] [[Category:Events at the Royal Albert Hall]] [[Category:November 1975 in the United Kingdom]]