Care and comfort for all 'Miss World' entrants

Press, 14 November 1977, Page 15

Care and comfort for all 'Miss World' entrants

By

MICHELLE HYDE,

, the

New Zealand representative at the “Miss World” contest in London.

Impeccable organisation — that sums up the Miss World contest. Every contestant is met on arrival at the airport and driven to the Britannia Hotel, Mayfair, in a genuine London taxi (a real novelty for most). That’s the introduction, and it gets more regimented. Everyone associated with the contest wears a name badge at all times, chaperones and security men bearing a photographic indentification as well. My taxi driver was even able to tell me that over and above the usual identification clearance provided by Scotland Yard is required by all London taxi drivers, a driver had to undergo a special screening process ap-

proved by the Miss World organisation before he could have a contestant in his car. At the hotel all contestants and chaperones are housed on the second floor. All parents, sponsors and other officials are on the first floor. Security men stand guard at the entrance to each, and closed circuit television cameras keep constant vigil on these entrances. Needless to say the lifts do not stop on these floors. Contestants are free to wander about their own floor but may not venture on to a stairway without a security man and a chaperone. No-one, not even a parent, is permitted to enter a contestant's room. Two contestans share a room, and these combinations are cleverly matched — better than in previous years, when room mates were pulled out of a hat — and Miss Sweden would find herself with Miss Hnnsz Kone and be

unable to communicate for | the duration of the j contest. It is predicted that the I pace and pressure of this year’s contest will not be as great as in previous years because the programme of events is spread over three, weeks rather than two. The itinerary is dotted with frequent press calls and photographic sessions (which, we are warned, will become very burdensome by the end of the contest). There will be conducted tours of London and other visits and receptions. The second and third weeks involve filming and rehearsals, although still providing ample time for shopping and recreation. Unlike other international contests, Miss World is run entirely in aid of children’s charities. At the hotel apart from the obvious inconvenience of requiring a security man and a chaperone to go to greet a visitor in the lobby, the atmosphere is great. Meeting the representatives from 80-odd countries must be valuable in itself. Several of the stunning 6ft beauties have complained that their beds are not long enough, though. The age of some of the girls is surprising — there are several 17-year-olds, and one will not turn 17 until just before the final. By way of contrast, Miss United Kingdom is a sophisticated 24-year-old. She is a “professional” in the sense that she is salaried, on $4OOO this year, plus contracts and promotional activities which bring her additional income. There have not been any serious slip-ups in organisation so far. Ordering meals has, however, raised a problem. My room-mate Miss Switzerland, cannot speak English, and my meagre French does not run to adequate translation of all the meats and vegetables on the extensive Britannia menu.