WA beauties find universal approval
Surrounded by sun, sand and sea, Miss Universe contestants flocked to *Hotel Rottnest *on Saturday for the pageant's highly anticipated first round of heats for 2015.
In front hundreds of supportive onlookers, 20 competitors took centre stage on an elevated catwalk, hoping to catch the eye of judges, including Miss Universe State director *Troy Barbagallo *, former national Miss Universe finalist *Lia Tapper *and Savoir Faire Cosmetics director *Leia Corrie *.
Vying for a coveted spot in the WA State finals on April 10, the local beauties competed across three rounds, strutting their stuff in gowns by local designer *Steph Audino *, swimwear label Cebiche and the latest collections from online retailer Lost Souls.
Appraised on their beauty, personality, physical fitness, charisma and intellect, the 20 hopefuls were whittled down to a top seven - *Elizabeth Moulden *, *Ryan Price *, *Daisy Jeanes *, *Emily Arnett *, *Annabel Slade *, *Emma Handreck *and *Mia Poklepovich *.
For Poklepovich, an occupational therapist from *Beaconsfield *, her inclusion on the winners' podium came as an unexpected but very welcome surprise.
"I'm really overwhelmed, very grateful and very excited," she told _Access All Areas _.
"The competition was so hard, you really could not pick anyone who was more deserving than anyone else. We had the most beautiful group of girls and they've all been so lovely.
"The heat could have been anyone's."
While making it through to the State finals of the competition was always a goal for Moulden, who also made it into the top 24 last year, the highlight of the 21-year-old's Miss Universe journey so far has been the many friendships she has made along the way.
"What pulls it all together at the end of the day is that we're friends," she said. "We're here for a good time rather than competing against each other."
The Miss Universe WA preliminary heats will continue on February 21
at *The Breakwater *in *Hillarys *.
EMMA BERGMEIER-VARIAN
'The competition was so hard, you really could not pick anyone who was more deserving.' Mia Poklepovich
