Natalia Nikolayeva is Miss Universe Russia 2005

April 20: Russia has selected 19-year old Natalia Nikolayeva of Rostov-on-Don University as Miss Universe Russia 2005. Natalia Nikolayeva will now compete in the Miss Universe 2005 pageant to be held in Bangkok, Thailand on May 30.

Natalia Nikolayeva was born on July 1, 1986 in in Rostov-on-Don. Natalia has worked as a model since the age of eight, and at the age of 16, won the Miss Pharma Cosmetics contest in Moscow.

Following this, Natalia Nikolayeva became the face of Pharma cosmetics company. At present Natalia is a student at Rostov-on-Don University, journalism faculty, marketing department. Natalia Nikolayeva speaks English and a little Korean.

Russia is the only county which selects its candidate for the Miss Universe beauty contest through online, TV and SMS media. Natalia Nikolayeva bagged 22.24% of the total votes submitted.

Russia's REN TV channel broadcast the pageant finals on April 16. During the telecast itself, viewers chose their pick among the beautiful Russian girls. SMS voting was adopted to selectes the candidate.

Earlier, the final delegates for the Miss Universe Russia 2005 pageant were selected through online voting.

The Miss Universe Russia 2005 pageant was completely interactive and its finalists never met each other. The name of the winning beauty was announced on TV at the end of a popular variety show.

Said Miss Universe Russia 2005 Contest coordinator Nikita Sekretaryov: "All the girls participating in the Miss Universe Russia 2005 finals are very different, and I believe, this makes our pageant especially attractive. But for the inter-active contest, we would not be able to gather here. Each of them deserves the title, but Natalia Nikolayeva has become the first among the equal."

The "Vice-Miss" or first runner-up was Marina Alekseychik from Tomsk. The rest of the finalists were Aleksandra Solomanina, Marina Berezyuk, Irina Zhavina, Yevgenia Khudoleyeva and Dasha Zaytseva. Anastasia Tyapsheva from Moscow won the "Miss Rambler" title, selected by internet voters.

BY A CORRESPONDENT