SUN, sand and a bunch of beauties. Beachgoers at Sentosa were pleasantly surprised on Saturday when they found themselves in the company of 14 striking babes who not only took pictures with them but also played various beach games with them.
The women, who pranced around in bikinis, are the finalists of this year's Miss Maxim Search, which was held at the Cafe Del Mar.
The Miss Maxim Search Preview Beach Party, organised by SPH Magazines, drew locals and tourists alike to Sentosa to meet these lovely ladies.
Mr Scott Cuming, 25, an Australian who was here on holiday, came specially for the event.
He told The New Paper: 'When I heard from a friend about this event, I told myself that I couldn't miss it for the world.
Apart from ogling the contestants, guests at the beach party had the opportunity to interact with the participants through a line-up of games, activities and photo-taking.
Maxim editor, Mr Ronald Rajan, said: 'There are lots of beauty contests out there, but perhaps none as interactive.
'We're seeking to really give readers and fans a chance to get to know the girls as people, over and above just admiring them on a catwalk or in the pages of a magazine.'
This year's Miss Maxim Search attracted more than 400 hopefuls, and 14 were eventually picked by the judges based on their combination of beauty, brains and personal style.
Some of the hot favourites include sales consultant Miss Mastura Muhammad Ali, 20, Miss Calista Goh Lu Lin, 23, paralegal-cum-student and Miss Vera Tan, 23, who is pursuing a masters degree in architecture.
When asked why she joined the Miss Maxim Search 2008, Miss Goh, who resembles actress Fiona Xie according to some spectators, said: 'I just felt like doing something crazy.
'And it's a great avenue for me to meet other girls who are just as daring, or even more daring than I am.
'It's really a lot of fun.'
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVE
From now until 22 Aug, readers can vote for their favourite contestants by logging on to www.maximonline.com.
sg, where they can also view exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and videos of the 14 finalists.
The winners will be announced at the Miss Maxim Search 2008 Finals Party at The Arena at Clarke Quay on Friday, 29 Aug.
This article was first published in The New Paper on July 7, 2008.
