VietNamNet Bridge - Russian blonde Kseniya Sukhinova became the new Miss World Saturday in South Africa.

Newly crowned Miss World Kseniya Sukhinova from Russia smiles after winning the Miss World contest in Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008.

Sukhinova was crowned after a two-hour spectacle in Johannesburg that combined elements of travelogue and reality show, and the kind of flag-waving usually seen at sports events. She beamed as she was crowned.

Sukhinova also had won the contest’s top model award and was third in the swimsuit competition. She was a crowd favorite - though not as popular as hometown beauty Miss South Africa, Tansey Coetzee. Coetzee made the final five.

Second runner up was Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Gabrielle Walcott. First runner up was Miss India, Parvathy Omankuttan.