User:Mauriziok/Miss Venezuela 2008

Miss Venezuela 2008 was the 55th Miss Venezuela pageant, was held in Caracas, Venezuela, on September 10, 2008, after weeks of events. The winner of the pageant was Stefanía Fernández, Miss Trujillo.

The pageant was broadcast live on Venevisión from the Poliedro de Caracas in Caracas, Venezuela. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, outgoing titleholder Dayana Mendoza (Miss Venezuela 2007 and Miss Universe 2008) crowned Stefania Fernández of Trujillo as the new Miss Venezuela.

The contest, whose winner will attempt to become the first woman to win a Miss Universe title for her country in consecutive years, was marked by the elimination of the titles of Costa Oriental and Peninsula Goajira (now represented solely by Zulia state) and the consequent reduction to 28 delegates. On July 29, Osmel Sousa assumed further control of the selection process by directly appointing the 28 final contestants from a pool of 73 candidates. Although winners of regional and state contests have never been guaranteed participation in the final Miss Venezuela pageant, this direct selection resulted in the unprecedented elimination of the representatives of Falcón, Lara, Sucre, Vargas and Nueva Esparta. In addition to the two aforementioned titleholders from Zulia, a total of seven state winners were consequently stripped of their titles, which will be carried in the final pageant by other candidates.

Schedule of events

 * August 13: "Best Smile" and "Miss Beauty" event in the Quinta La Esmeralda, in Caracas. Miss Táchira, Jennipher Bortolas and Miss Sucre, Natasha Domínguez, won the titles respectively.
 * August 19: "Best Face" award competition in the Radisson Plaza Eurobuilding Hotel, in Caracas. Stefanía Fernández, Miss Trujillo, won the title.
 * August 30: The Beauty Gala (Gala de la Belleza), live on Venevisión.
 * September 2: The 28 delegates visit the Ebel Corporation, in Guatire.
 * September 10: The finals was held in the Poliedro de Caracas.
 * September 11: The official Breakfast with Miss Venezuela 2008 and Miss World Venezuela 2008 in the Radisson Plaza Eurobuilding Hotel, in Caracas.

Special awards

 * Miss Photogenic (voted by press reporters) – Natasha Domínguez (Sucre)
 * Miss Internet (voted by www.missvenezuela.com viewers) – Dayana Borges (Dependencias Federales)
 * Miss Congeniality (voted by Miss Venezuela contestants) – Adahisa Peña (Apure)
 * Best Evening Gown – Laksmi Rodríguez (Monagas)
 * Miss Elegance – Stefanía Fernández (Trujillo)
 * Best Body – Stefanía Fernández (Trujillo)
 * Miss Personality – Verónica Arcay (Portuguesa)
 * Best Catwalk – Kenya Barreto (Bolívar)
 * Miss Integral – Natasha Domínguez (Sucre)
 * Miss Silhouette – Marielis Ontiveros (Vargas)
 * Best Smile – Jennipher Bortolas (Táchira)
 * Miss Beauty – Natasha Domínguez (Sucre)
 * Best Face – Stefanía Fernández (Trujillo)