# Miss World 1975 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Miss_World_1975 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Miss_World_1975.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_World_1975 > Source revision: 1353981173 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) International beauty pageant Miss World 1975 Date 20 November 1975 Presenters David Vine Venue Royal Albert Hall, London, United Kingdom Broadcaster BBC Entrants 67 Placements 15 Debuts Curaçao El Salvador Haiti Saint Lucia Swaziland Withdrawals Botswana Ecuador Jamaica Madagascar Spain Zambia Returns Bolivia Cuba Iceland Luxembourg Mauritius Peru Seychelles Trinidad and Tobago Turkey Uruguay Winner Wilnelia Merced[1][2] Puerto Rico Congeniality Maggie Siew Teen Sim Singapore Photogenic Vinah Thembi Mamba Swaziland ← 1974 1976 → **Miss World 1975** was the 25th edition of the [Miss World](/source/Miss_World) pageant, held on 20 November 1975 at the [Royal Albert Hall](/source/Royal_Albert_Hall) in London, United Kingdom. 67 contestants took part in the pageant won by [Wilnelia Merced](/source/Wilnelia_Merced) of [Puerto Rico](/source/Puerto_Rico).[1][2] She was crowned by [Anneline Kriel](/source/Anneline_Kriel) of [South Africa](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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 [1972](/source/Miss_World_1972) when she tried to compete as [Miss Rhodesia](/source/Miss_Rhodesia) but was not allowed to compete due to her Rhodesian nationality.[3][4] #### 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 [1955](/source/Miss_World_1955), Bolivia and Uruguay last competed in [1965](/source/Miss_World_1965), Trinidad and Tobago last competed in [1971](/source/Miss_World_1971) and Iceland, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Peru, Seychelles and Turkey last competed in [1973](/source/Miss_World_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](/source/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 Countries and territories which sent delegates and results for Miss World 1975[2][5] ### Placements Placement Contestant Miss World 1975 Puerto Rico – Wilnelia Merced[1][2] 1st runner-up West Germany – Marina Langner[5] 2nd runner-up United Kingdom – Vicki Harris[5] 3rd runner-up Cuba – Maricela Maxie Clark 4th runner-up Yugoslavia – Lidija Velkovska Top 7 Haiti – Joelle Apollon Venezuela – María Concepción "María Conchita" Alonso Top 15 Australia – Anne Davidson Finland – Leena Kaarina Vainio India – Anjana Sood Lebanon – Ramona Keram Mauritius – Mariella Tse-Sik-Sun Saint Lucia – Sophia St. Omer South Africa – Rhoda Rademeyer Uruguay – Carmen Abal ## Contestants - [Argentina](/source/Argentina) – Lilian Noemí De Asti[6] - [Aruba](/source/Netherlands_Antilles) – Cynthia Marlene Bruin - [Australia](/source/Australia) – Anne Davidson - [Austria](/source/Austria) – Rosemarie Holzschuh[7] - [Bahamas](/source/The_Bahamas) – Ava Marilyn Burke - [Barbados](/source/Barbados) – Peta Hazel Greaves - [Belgium](/source/Belgium) – Christine Delmelle - [Bermuda](/source/Bermuda) – Donna Louise Wright - [Bolivia](/source/Bolivia) – María Mónica Guardia[8] - [Brazil](/source/Brazil) – Zaida Souza Costa - [Canada](/source/Canada) – Normande Jacques - [Colombia](/source/Colombia) – Amanda Amaya Correa - [Costa Rica](/source/Costa_Rica) – María Mayela Bolaños Ugalde - [Cuba](/source/Cuba) – Maricela Clark[9] - [Curaçao](/source/Netherlands_Antilles) – Elvira Nelly Maria Bakker - [Denmark](/source/Denmark) – Pia Isa Lauridsen - [Dominican Republic](/source/Dominican_Republic) – Carmen Rosa Arredondo Pou - [El Salvador](/source/El_Salvador) – Ana Stella Comas Durán - [Finland](/source/Finland) – Leena Kaarina Vainio[10] - [France](/source/France) – [Sophie Perin](/source/Sophie_Perin)[11] - [Gibraltar](/source/Gibraltar) – Lillian Anne Lara - [Greece](/source/Greece) – Bella Adamopoulou - [Guam](/source/Guam) – Dora Ann Quintanilla Camacho - [Guernsey](/source/Guernsey) – Carol Dawn Le Billon[12] - [Haiti](/source/Haiti) – Joelle Apollon - [Holland](/source/Netherlands) – Barbara Ann Neefs - [Honduras](/source/Honduras) – Etelinda Mejía Velásquez - [Hong Kong](/source/British_Hong_Kong) – Teresa Chu Tsui-Kuen - [Iceland](/source/Iceland) – Halldóra Björk Jónsdóttir - [India](/source/India) – Anjana Sood - [Ireland](/source/Republic_of_Ireland) – Elaine O'Hora[13] - [Israel](/source/Israel) – Atida Mor - [Italy](/source/Italy) – Vanna Bortolini - [Japan](/source/Japan) – Chiharu Fujiwara - [Jersey](/source/Jersey) – Susan Maxwell de Gruchy - [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon) – Ramona Karam - [Luxembourg](/source/Luxembourg) – Marie Thérèse Manderschied[14] - [Malaysia](/source/Malaysia) – Fauziah Haron[15] - [Malta](/source/Malta) – Marie Grace Ciantar - [Mauritius](/source/Mauritius) – Marielle Tse Sik-Sun - [Mexico](/source/Mexico) – Blanca Patricia López Esparza - [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand) – Janet Nugent[16] - [Nicaragua](/source/Nicaragua) – María Auxiliadora Paguaga Mantilla - [Norway](/source/Norway) – Sissel Gulbrandsen - [Peru](/source/Peru) – Mary Orfanides Canakis - [Philippines](/source/Philippines) – Suzanne Gonzalez[17] - [Puerto Rico](/source/Puerto_Rico) – [Wilnelia Merced](/source/Wilnelia_Merced)[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] - [Saint Lucia](/source/Saint_Lucia) – Sophia St. Omer - [Seychelles](/source/Seychelles) – Amelie Lydia Michel[18] - [Singapore](/source/Singapore) – Maggie Siew Teen Sim - [South Africa](/source/South_Africa)[a] – Lydia Gloria Johnstone - [South Africa](/source/South_Africa) – Rhoda Rademeyer - [South Korea](/source/South_Korea)[b] – Lee Sung-hee[19] - [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka) – Angela Seneviratne - [Swaziland](/source/Eswatini) – Vinah Thembi Mamba[20] - [Sweden](/source/Sweden) – Agneta Catharina Magnusson - [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland) – Franziska Angst - [Thailand](/source/Thailand) – Raevadee Pattamaphong[21] - [Trinidad and Tobago](/source/Trinidad_and_Tobago) – Donna Sandra Dalrymple - [Tunisia](/source/Tunisia) – Monia Dida - [Turkey](/source/Turkey) – Harika Değirmenci[22] - [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom) – Vicki Ann Harris[23] - [United States](/source/United_States) – Annelise Ilschenko - [Uruguay](/source/Uruguay) – Carmen Abal - [Venezuela](/source/Venezuela) – [María Concepción "María Conchita" Alonso](/source/Mar%C3%ADa_Conchita_Alonso) - [West Germany](/source/West_Germany) – Marina Langner[24] - [Yugoslavia](/source/Socialist_Federal_Republic_of_Yugoslavia) – Lidija Velkovska ## Notes 1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Competed as Africa South in the pageant 1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** Competed as Korea in the pageant ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autogenerated2_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autogenerated2_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-autogenerated2_1-2) [*Pittsburgh Post-Gazette*](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19761119&id=ZoBIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=T20DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5388,2064544&hl=en) 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autogenerated1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autogenerated1_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-autogenerated1_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-autogenerated1_2-3) [*Beaver County Times*](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2002&dat=19751121&id=gHIvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YNsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2606,4931094&hl=en) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Strack, Harry R. (1978). [*Sanctions: The Case of Rhodesia*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ZVt0AAAAMAAJ&q=Miss+Rhodesia). Syracuse University Press. p. 233. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780815621614](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780815621614). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Trethowan, Anthony (2008). [*Delta Scout: Ground Coverage Operator*](https://books.google.com/books?id=cCCiE0_RDSMC&q=miss+rhodesia&pg=PA149). 30° South Publishers. p. 149. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781920143213](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781920143213). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autogenerated3_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autogenerated3_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-autogenerated3_5-2) [*The Evening Independent*](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19751121&id=pvcLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_VcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4014,1272411&hl=en) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-:3_6-0)** ["Kissinger, el personaje preferido"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8HQbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6FAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=848%2C1881743). *El Tiempo* (in Spanish). 9 July 1976. pp. 3B. Retrieved 3 May 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Calderon, Beatriz (25 September 2023). [""Me gustan los frijoles y las pupusas": esto dijo la finlandesa que ganó Miss Universo 1975 sobre El Salvador"](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). *La Prensa Grafica*. Retrieved 3 May 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Photo album of 1975 Miss Bermuda"](https://bnl.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16347coll1/id/3155/rec/74). *Fame Magazine*. July 1975. pp. 20–25. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via Bermuda National Library. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Miss 'Free Cuba' debunks protest"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D9BQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UF8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6833%2C3983995). *St. Petersburg Times*. 28 November 1975. p. 40. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via Google News Archive. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Suomen kaunein toivoi maailmanrauhaa, ja kirkossa riehuneille langetettiin kuritushuonetta ja vankeutta"](https://tl.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Miss_World_1975&action=edit§ion=11a/art-2000010195190.html) [The most beautiful of Finland wished for world peace, and those who rioted in the church were sentenced to punishment room and imprisonment]. *Wikipedia* (in Finnish). 14 February 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Dematte, Delphine (18 November 2021). ["Metz. Savez-vous qui a été élue Miss France puis Miss International ?"](https://www.republicain-lorrain.fr/insolite/2021/11/18/savez-vous-qui-a-ete-elu-miss-france-puis-miss-international). *Le Républicain Lorrain* (in French). Retrieved 3 May 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Missen dansen door Londen"](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011017394:mpeg21:p003). *Nieuwsblad van het Noorden* (in Dutch). 12 November 1975. p. 3. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via Delpher. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["THE NEW MISS IRELAND"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-herald-the-new-miss-ireland/187477466/). *[Evening Herald](/source/The_Herald_(Ireland))*. 25 October 1975. p. 4. Retrieved 17 March 2026 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Puerto Rico beauty reigns as Miss World"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QT5VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Pj4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=3815%2C1814237). *The Leader-Post*. 22 November 1975. p. 26. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via Google News Archive. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["JOHORE GIRL CROWNED MISS MALAYSIA"](https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19751013-1.2.69.3?qt=miss,%20international,%20malaysia&q=miss%20international%20malaysia). *eresources.nlb.gov.sg*. Retrieved 3 May 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Tocker, Fleur (22 April 1975). ["'Miss Horowhenua' crowned"](https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1975/04/22/18). *[The Press](/source/The_Press)*. [Christchurch](/source/Christchurch), New Zealand. p. 18. Retrieved 3 January 2026 – via [Papers Past](/source/National_Library_of_New_Zealand#Papers_Past). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Burton-Titular, Joyce (1 October 2013). ["From Vivien to Megan: The PH in Miss World history"](https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/pageants/40304-philippines-miss-world-history/). *[Rappler](/source/Rappler)*. Retrieved 3 May 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Enchanting piper..."](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WINAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xqcMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5589%2C521223) *Evening Times*. 4 November 1975. p. 5. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via Google News Archive. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Beauties get together"](https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/page/newnation19751111-1.1.6). *New Nation*. 11 November 1975. p. 6. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via National Library Board. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["Six of the best"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed-miss-sa-as/141084131/). *Daily Post*. 12 November 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via Newspapers.com. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["A slight flutter over two Miss World contestants"](https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/page/straitstimes19751114-1.1.3). *The Straits Times*. 14 November 1975. p. 3. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via National Library Board. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** Tarihi, Güncelleme (4 May 2020). ["Güzeller canlı yayında buluştu"](https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/galeri-1929dan-gunumuze-turkiye-guzelleri-41508916) [Beauties met on live broadcast]. *[Hürriyet](/source/H%C3%BCrriyet)* (in Turkish). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230102125519/https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/galeri-1929dan-gunumuze-turkiye-guzelleri-41508916) from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["Competing"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/gazette-news-current/144819617/). *Gazette News-Current*. 15 November 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via Newspapers.com. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** ["Miss runner-up bares it all..."](https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/page/newnation19751122-1.1.5) *New Nation*. 22 November 1975. p. 5. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via [National Library Board](/source/National_Library_Board). v t e Miss World Editions 1950s 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960s 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970s 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980s 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990s 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000s 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010s 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020s 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Related Titleholders Runners-up and finalists Editions Countries Beauty with a Purpose v t e Miss World 1975 national titleholders Sophie Perin Wilnelia Merced María Conchita Alonso --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Miss World 1975](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_World_1975) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_World_1975?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.