MissGrandSlam.Com

After departing the airport, “Mafer” took part in a motorcar parade in the streets of Guayaquil, until she arrived to Gama TV station where she participated in a press conference.

Maria Fernanda told Ecuadorian newspaper El Comercio that she did not realize she had won, until her fellow contestants told her.

“I couldn’t hear my name. The pageant was in mandarin, which is a very different language. I was left on stage with Miss Panama and Miss Puerto Rico. They were the ones who told me “It’s you, it’s you!! I was in complete shock”.

22-year old Maria Fernanda won 2 million yuan (about USD 21,000) and a replica of the crown.

After her victory, she travelled to Japan to attend the Miss International Japan 2012 finals. She will also work with the Unicef, and will return to both China and Japan to help with fundraisers to benefit the victims of the earthquake that hit Sendai earlier this year.

During the press conference, Maria Fernanda was congratulated by Maria del Carmen Aguayo, president of the Miss Ecuador Organization.

Ecuador is on a roll. In 2011 alone, they won the titles of Miss International, Miss Earth, Miss America Latina and Miss Continente Americano. A powerhouse on the rise?

China (3rd), Belarus (winner), Brazil (2nd)

Sixty-three international beauties competed to be the I Miss Yacht Model International, in Haikou, China. The winner was Miss Belarus, Inna Hrabouskaya, 19, 1.80 m-tall. She won USD 10,000 and several other prizes.

Miss Brazil, Kellin Schmidt, was the 1st runner-up, and Miss China was the 2nd runner-up.

The top 15 had the representatives of Germany, Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Mongolia, Venezuela, England, Canada, Kosovo, Portugal, Tartastan and Romania.

Success was such, that the 2012 edition has been confirmed for over 80 participants and the cash prize value will be doubled: USD 20,000!