ATLANTIC CITY, US, Sept 16: The 2014 Miss America pageant has gone underway in Atlantic City, the place where it all began in 1921.
The nationally televised pageant was back in Boardwalk Hall, yesterday, where judges will choose a winner to succeed the current title-holder Mallory Hagan.
Will the next Miss America be the tattooed Army sergeant, Miss Kansas, or the inspirational Miss Iowa, who was born without part of an arm? Will it be Miss Hawaii or Miss California both of whom are named Crystal Lee?
How will Miss Florida, hobbled by a knee injury she sustained in baton-twirling rehearsals on Thursday, fare in the live national telecast? Can hometown hero Miss New Jersey capture the title less than a mile from where Superstorm Sandy came ashore last October?
Sam Haskell, CEO of the Miss America Organization, is delighted it will all be playing out in Atlantic City again after a six-year stint in Las Vegas.
“This is where we belong,” he told The Associated Press. “This is the home of Miss America, and this is where we’re going to stay.”
Preliminary winners in the swimsuit competition earlier in the week were Miss Mississippi, Chelsea Rick; Miss Oklahoma, Kelsey Griswold; and Miss Georgia, Carly Mathis. Preliminary winners in the talent competition were Miss New Hampshire, Samantha Russo; Miss Minnesota Rebecca Yeh; and Miss Florida, Myrrhanda Jones.
The show will begin with the traditional parade of states, where each contestant briefly introduces herself and her state, usually in a humorous or attention-grabbing manner.
Much attention has been given to Miss Kansas, Theresa Vail, a US Army sergeant who is believed to be the first Miss America contestant to openly display tattoos.
She has the Serenity Prayer on her rib cage and a military insignia on the back of a shoulder. While other contestants wore glamorous costumes and elaborately decorated footwear during Saturday night’s “show-us-your-shoes” parade on the Boardwalk, Vail wore camouflage gear and Army boots.
In a Twitter message yesterday, Vail wrote: “Win or not tonight, I have accomplished what I set out to do. I have empowered women. I have opened eyes.”
The pageant started in Atlantic City as a way to extend the summer tourism season for an extra weekend.
The move from Las Vegas cut short the reign of Hagan, who was crowned in January and expected to have a full year as the title holder. The pageant is compensating her for the shortened term.
The pageant pits 53 contestants one from each state, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands in swimsuit, evening gown, talent and interview competitions.
The winner will be crowned at Boardwalk Hall around 11 pm local time. (AGENCIES)
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