Grand Slam Ranking and Country of the Year 1978
51-Guam 52-Panama 53-Uruguay 54-Tahiti 55-Turkey 56-Haiti 57-Curaçao 58-Costa Rica 59-El Salvador 60-Rhodesia 61-Malaysia 62-Dominican Republic 63-Poland 64-Czechoslovakia 65-Portugal 66-Ecuador 67-Paraguay 68-Indonesia 69-Tunisia 70-Liberia 71-Singapore 72-Honduras 72-Seychelles 74-Aruba 75-US Virgin Islands 76-Bolivia 77-Malta 78-Luxembourg 79-Morocco 80-Suriname 81-Cyprus 82-Guatemala 83-Mauritius 84-Alaska 85-Barbados 86-Ghana 86-Kenya 88-Saint Lucia 89-Montserrat 90-Bahamas 91-Bermuda 92-Gibraltar 93-Jordan 94-Nigeria 95-Zaire 96-Okinawa 96-Samoa 96-West Indies 99-The Gambia 99-Jersey 99-Madagascar 99-Burma 103-Bonaire 103-Papua New Guinea 105-Belize 105-Botswana 105-Northern Marianas 105-Saint Vincent & the Grenadines 105-Syria 110-Cayman Islands 110-Guernsey 110-Isle of Man 110-Monaco 110-Reunion 110-Saint Maarten 110-Swalizand 110-Tanzania 110-Uganda 119-Antigua & Barbuda 119-Benin 119-Borneo 119-British Virgin Islands 119-Bulgaria 119-Dominica 119-French Guyana 119-Guadeloupe 119-Iraq 119-Lesotho 119-Martinique 119-Micronesia 119-New Caledonia 119-Saint Kitts & Nevis 119-Senegal 119-South Pacific 119-New Hebrides 119 Zambia.
1978: ANALYSING THE MAIN CHANGES IN THE GRAND SLAM RANKING DURING THE PAST YEAR
For the first time since Brazil debuted in Grand Slam pageants, back in 1954, this South American country´s representatives did not place in any of the three pageants. It caused Brazil to fall from 3rd to 4th place (-1) in the Grand Slam Ranking, being replaced by Sweden, now 3rd (+2);
Spain kept on improving, going two more notches up, being now in the 14th place (+2);
Mexico also made a considerable move, jumping from 50th to the 39th position (+11). It was the best mover of the year;
The Top 10 in the three Grand Slam pageants by the conclusion of 1978 were:
Miss World Ranking in 1978 (Top 10): 1-UK; 2-United States; 3-Sweden; 4-South Africa; 5-France; 6-Germany; 7-Israel; 8-Australia; 9-Argentina; 10-Jamaica.
Miss Universe Ranking in 1978 (Top 10): 1-United States; 2-Brazil; 3-Finland; 4-Sweden; 5-Israel; 6-Germany; 7-England / UK; 8-Japan; 9-Colombia; 10-Philippines;
Miss International Ranking in 1978 (Top 10): 1-United States; 2-England / UK; 3-Philippines; 4-Brazil; 5-Finland; 6-Germany; 7-Australia; 8-Iceland; 9-Argentina; 10-Spain.
1978: AMERICAN BEAUTIES RULING AGAIN
For the 6th time the Country of the Year is the United States. Though the United States never won a Miss International title during the years the pageant was held in Long Beach, in Japan, American beauties had achieved victory twice in just 4 years. Katherine Patricia Ruth was the chosen one in Tokyo, in 1978. At Miss Universe, average scores given by the judges were made available to those watching the show on TV for the first time, and after leading the whole competition, Miss USA, Judi Andersen from Hawaii, placed 2nd in the end, losing to South Africa's Margaret Gardiner. Ironically, 1978 was the year when Miss World banned South Africa from participating, because of the policy of Apartheide. Conversely, not only Miss Universe was a white woman from South Africa, but she was also crowned by the first black Miss Universe, Janelle Commissiong of Trinidad and Tobago (1977). In Miss World, the US placed in the Top 15, with Debra Freeze.
Argentina won its 2nd Miss World crown, conquered by Silvana Suárez, placing 2nd that year. South Africa, the Universe winner, came in 3rd place.
This is how the top performers of 1978 scored:
1) United States (4700 points);
2) Argentina (3002);
3) South Africa (3000).
Top 5: Sweden (2101) and Spain (1951).