So you think you can predict Miss World 2014?

Why not? I’m sure you can. That’s the reason for our Prediction Contest – to see who has the best and most accurate forecast for the Top 3.

Personally, I am confident of my Top 5. But you can never tell a surprise performer who will just slip in and topple my choices. It would be wise to insure Misses South Africa Rolene Strauss and India Koyal Rana, though. They have already occupied the unmovable spots on top. And Miss Philippines Valerie Weigmann? She may be a sentimental choice, but a worthy one at that. Our girl has prepared long & hard for the competition and is not about to be simply defeated by the thought of a back-to-back win being way too impossible to achieve. Either she will cave in to the kind of pressure she has no control over or the other possibility might happen. Miss England, being the host delegate, could be given the advantage by the MWO. Carina Tyrell is no pushover. And Julia Morley might feel that a royal placement is long overdue for the country she represents. Homecourt advantage is no longer the issue for consideration here. She is just as deserving. And methinks the final speech would be very crucial.

Here now are the fifteen (15) other candidates in my Top 20 and who could fill in spoiler roles.

Let me put on my Julia Morley hat now. If I were the MWO Chair, there are three (3) delegates I would love to see ultimately winning the blue crown. And I am saying this outside the anticipated back-to-back win for the Philippines. Rolene Strauss of South Africa, Koyal Rana of India and Carina Tyrell of England comprise the trio of possible successors to Megan Young that would sit well with most everyone inside the silent walls of the MWO.

Back to myself, I wouldn’t mind seeing one of them snatching the blue crown. Of course, I would love more than anything else to see Valerie Weigmann of the Philippines replacing Miss World 2013. But if signs are glaringly pointing us to the direction where rewarding the country with a second consecutive victory is a particularly remote option (despite whatever strong efforts our bet has shown to the organization), then I have no qualms endorsing Rolene Strauss and Koyal Rana as my #1 and dangerously close #2 picks, respectively.

Now if you ask me who could possibly be that 6th member of the Top 6 and winner of the People’s Choice votes? At this point, my hunch is that Miss Thailand Nonthawan Thongleng is hard to beat according to my reliable sources. Gut-feel tells me that her supporters may have opted to put a concerted effort to pour everything in the Miss World App voting (regardless of the cost and everything) and would rather see their bet take a guaranteed spot in the final segment of the coronation night and take a more well-meaninged finish.

Without a doubt, the finals of Miss World 2014 is eagerly-awaited around the globe.

I want a good show. I want to be entertained. But I also want to be happy with the results. I want to have something extra to celebrate about for Christmas. :-D