14 contestants to take part in Miss Regatta 2018 |30 July 2018
Fourteen contestants will take part in this year’s Miss Regatta 2018 beauty pageant.
The open air event, sponsored by Round Table Seychelles (RTS), will take place on Saturday September 29 at Beau Vallon as part of activities for the 45th Regatta.
The contestants were presented to members of the media, sponsors, winners of Miss Regatta 2017, Miss Seychelles Plus winners and other invitees, in a small ceremony on Saturday evening at the Fire & Ice, Roche Caiman.
It was the outgoing Miss Regatta 2017, Jorestina Cafrine, who had the honour, on behalf of RTS, to introduce the contestants as they elegantly paraded in front of the guests.
The 14 contestants vying for the Miss Regatta crown this year are: Elvana Sophola (21 years) from Les Mamelles; Fanella Morel (23) -- Beau Vallon; Amina Cecile (26) – Bougainville; Stephie Joubert (22) – Perseverance; Chantal Tirant (28) – Glacis; Gabriella Julie (24) -- Anse Royale; Beverly Hoarea (18) -- Mont Fleuri; Orelie Mothe (20) -- English River; Gabriella Gonthier (20) -- Beau Vallon; Stephi Barbe (18) -- Baie Lazare; Alana Barallon (23) -- La Misère; Annabella Labrosse (21) -- Anse Aux Pins; Betty Casime (27) -- Anse Royale; Julia Ernesta (18) -- Praslin.
The president of RTS, Darrel Benoit, wished the girls the very best and urged them to make the most of the pageant through celebrating, learning and helping one another and to also be good ambassadors for women in the community.
“RTS would like to thank everyone who has supported the Regatta for the past 44 years and I would like everyone to continue to rally behind Regatta and its cause,” Mr Benoit said.
He noted that the proceeds from this years’ Regatta will go towards the second phase of renovation of the School for the Exceptional Child at Roche Caiman.
New in the competition this year will be an eco-creative costume category where the girls will have to come up with their own creation for their casual wear made from recycled products such as plastic. There will be a special prize for this category. As usual, the girls will also parade in the swim wear and evening wear.
“Regatta is all about the sea and we also want to raise awareness of the non pollution of the ocean by plastics,” said Alvin Oredy, the pageant’s organiser.
The girls have been training twice a week, on Fridays and Saturdays, at the Theatre Des Palmes since the start of this month and, according to the Miss Regatta coordinator Denis Rose, all is going well.
He is urging people to come in great numbers to support the free open air event in aid of Regatta.
The outgoing Miss Regatta, Jorestina Cafrine, had words of advice for the contestants.
“Be bold. Throw shyness out of the door. Criticisms will come. They always do. But remember it takes great courage to put yourself out there and let the public really see you,” she said.
Miss Seychelles Plus 2018, Angelo Jeannie, also had a message for the girls:
“Don’t take the pageant as a competition even though it is but enjoy as much as possible. The experience is what really matters.”
The 45th Regatta will be held from September 28-30, 2018 and lottery tickets for the event will be on sale as from this week with a Hyundai Creta car as the star prize and a Suzuki scooter as first prize, among other interesting prizes.
