I want to express my sincere gratitude to the wonderful judges I was blessed with throughout this 2009 Face of the Year contest.  Although they were carefully hand picked, this contest was done so quickly on their part and they would receive their voting instructions (mostly by Facebook), immediately after we announced results, with a typical 48 hour turnaround deadline.  From amongst pageant directors, runway coaches, pageant fans and website gurus to housewives, construction workers, college professors, and statisticians. They are all dedicated to the concept of beauty, each in their own way.  They are all meant to represent US as well as represent YOU!

They had to pledge to be honest, true and fair, without racial bias, nationalism or regionalism.  Why would they pledge that?  Just to be a judge in a stupid, on-line beauty contest award.  Big whoops!  How ridiculous….  Why do would we ask them to do that?  We do it to assure you, our readers, that we run a fair contest.  Then, their results are sent to New Zealand for a thorough analysis of the results by a Professor of Statistics and Macro-Economics. Looking for any possible biases or nationalisms… All for you…. [sigh]

I am just amazed by the vitriolic e-mails we receive about the Public Poll.  Do people really think that we are so amateurish that we would surrender our contests over to the public (that’s you again!) just like that?  Sure, different contests have different amounts of public participation by the polls.  In Sexiest of the Year, the Public Poll has a lot of pull on the final outcome.  I believe it is 1/3^rd the Final Vote.  In Face of the Year, the Public Poll has about 1/8^th of the Vote in its respective rounds (this year the 2^nd and 4^th rounds; last year the 2^nd and 3^rd rounds).

Despite the results, whether you are happy, sad, whatever, know that our winner tonight led the contest since Round 2, and her 1^st Runner Up was also in the Top 3 since Round 1.  The mystery is why Perla Beltra (the other Top 3 gal throughout) is not here in the Final 5, but the votes are the votes, and a few other girls snuck ahead of her in the last round.  The results are interesting, and people should know the Top 3 battled it out until the very end.

I would like to thank my judges and list them here:

1. Brent S. (Canada)
2. Christian K. (Brazil)
3. Che H. (Barbados)
4. Donald N. (Vietnam)
5. Edwin D. (Panama)
6. Edwin Toledo (Puerto Rico)
7. Gary W (England)
8. Gregory B (USA)
9. Hector JCG (Puerto Rico)
10. Henry F (Brazil)
11. Jai P. (Canada)
12. James G (Hong Kong)
13. Jean V (Belgium)
14. Jinett A (Puerto Rico)
15. Joseph V (Philippines)
16. Juan S. (Chile)
17. Julio B (Panama)
18. Malcolm C (U.K.)
19. Manuel A. S. (USA)
20. Marcelino M (South Africa)
21. Marjukka N. (Finland)
22. Martina A (Czech Rep)
23. Melissa B-M. (USA)
24. Michael K (Germany)
25. Mickey DC (Philippines)
26. Pasquale T (Italy)
27. Paul P (Philippines)
28. Perin A (Turkey)
29. Peter S (Australia)
30. Rahul P (India)
31. Rosalina (New Zealand)
32. Ryan B (Singapore)
33. Sabrina S (Singapore)
34. Sifiso B (South Africa)
35. Sujay P (India)
36. Tim & Lee-Ann W. (USA)
37. Prince Willians (Venezuela)

PASQUALE – You have been my best set of judges EVER!  Many thanks.