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Miss World Iceland (originally Miss Iceland; Icelandic: Ungfrú Ísland), is a national beauty pageant in Iceland. The winner of this contest represents Iceland at Miss World.

History

The competition has been carried out since 1950; in the first year it was called Miss Reykjavík (Ungfrú Reykjavík). Since 1955, the contest has taken place under the current name Miss Iceland. In the past, contest winners gained the right to represent Iceland in Miss Universe, Miss World or Miss International. As of 2009, the winner goes on to compete in Miss World. There are six regional preliminary contests in each of the five rural regions and in the capital Reykjavík. 20 to 24 candidates, three to four from each region, take part in the finals.

Iceland is one of the most successful countries at the Miss World pageant with three victories, a record for a nation with a population of less than half a million people.

In 2018, the organizers abandoned the Ungfrú Ísland (Miss Iceland) brand in order to adopt a new format for Miss World and created Miss World Iceland.

In 2019, former Miss World of 1988, Linda Pétursdóttir, became the license holder for Miss World Iceland and is now in charge of organizing the contest.

2013 applicants

Rafn Rafnsson, the new chief executive of the Miss Iceland contest, "in hopes of diversifying the field of contestants beyond the statuesque blonde with striking blue eyes that has become the Icelandic stereotype", said "There is no Miss Iceland stereotype..." One week later, in response to Rafnsson's statement, 1,300 people applied to become Miss Iceland, including several nontraditional candidates, such as:

• Sigríður Guðmarsdóttir, 48, a female governmental minister in Reykjavik
• Reynir Sigurðbjörnsson, 47, a male electrician
• Ása Richardsdóttir, a 49-year-old female producer in the fine arts industry
• Matthildur Helgadóttir-Jónudóttir, a female event manager also in her 40s
• Brynhildur Heiðardóttir Ómarsdóttir, a female literary critic
• Sigríður Ingibjörg Ingadóttir, a female Member of Parliament for the Social Democratic Alliance
• Guðrún Jónsdóttir, a spokesperson for Stígamót (organization that fights sexual abuse against women)
• Hildur Lillendahl, a feminist in Iceland
• Björk Vilhelmsdóttir, a city councilor of Reykjavík and feminist
• Þórdís Elva Þorvaldsdóttir, a writer and actress

In response to the increase of nontraditional applicants, Rafnsson said, "We have to follow the rules set by the international contest." This "means rejecting any applicants younger than 18 or older than 24. In addition to the age limits, contestants must be unmarried, childless and, of course, female." Íris Telma Jonsdóttir, Iceland's 2012 Miss World contestant, "has the unfortunate job of sifting through applications for the coming Miss Iceland contest and the publicity stirred by feminists has even sparked an abnormally high influx of legitimate hopefuls. That means she has a lot more reading to do before selecting the field of 25 women who will actually compete for a chance to move on to Miss World."

Titleholders

2018-present

   Winning International Title

Miss Iceland for Miss World

2018-present

•   : Declared as Winner
•   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
•   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
•   : Ended as special awards winner

Beginning in 2018, the winner of Miss World Iceland of will compete for Miss World.

Ungfrú Ísland 1955-2017

•   : Declared as Winner
•   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
•   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
•   : Ended as special awards winner

Ungfrú Ísland winners between 1955 and 2017 competed at Miss World pageant.

Notes

• Unnur Steinsson was Miss Iceland 1983 and finished in the top five positions at the Miss World finals the same year. She is the mother of Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir who won the Miss Iceland pageant in 2005 and became Miss World 2005. Steinsson was three months pregnant when she carried Unnur and competed in the 1983 contest, which was strictly forbidden and could have led to disqualification. Her daughter, Unnur, as mentioned, won the pageant 22 years later.
• In 2011, Guðlaug Dagmar Jónasdóttir won second place and Sigríður Dagbjört Ásgeirsdóttir won third place.

References

1. "Upplýsingar um keppnina" (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2007.
2. Here comes Iceland's first Miss Earth delegate
3. ^ "MP signs up for Miss Iceland Beauty Contest". News of Iceland. 14 July 2013. Archived from the original on 21 August 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
4. ^ JERVELL, ELLEN EMMERENTZE (26 July 2013). "Miss Iceland Gets a Chilly Reception From Feminists". Barrons Online. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
5. ^ JERVELL, ELLEN EMMERENTZE (26 July 2013). "Miss Iceland Gets a Chilly Reception From Feminists". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
6. ^ "Large and Hairy Feminists flock to sign up for Miss Iceland contest". News of Iceland. 15 June 2013. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
7. "Introduce Miss World Iceland 2018 Erla Alexandra Ólafsdóttir". Miss World Iceland - Official. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
8. Vilhelmsdóttir, María Rún (8 October 2019). / "Kolfinna Mist Austfjörð er Miss World Iceland 2019". VILJINN (in Icelandic). Retrieved 8 February 2023. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
9. "Miss World Competition Through the Years". E!. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2016.

External links

• Website for License Holder
• Official Miss World Iceland
• Miss World Iceland

• Miss World by country
• Beauty pageants in Iceland
• Recurring events established in 1950
• 1950 establishments in Iceland
• Icelandic awards