February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The breathtaking blonde beat out 99 other contenders and wound up with the title and the crown, much to the delight of Irish people everywhere.
Rosanna, gorgeous in a shocking pink gown with a mermaid train, was “thrilled” and “delighted” when her name was announced.
“It is a great honor,” she said after the crown was placed on her head. “I want to thank everyone who has supported me, especially my parents.” (Special nod, of course, to the very supportive bathing suit.)
The 19-year-old student from Dalkey, Co. Dublin, said she never thought she’d win the whole enchilada. (Or is that eggroll?) But the judges – who included Hollywood martial arts star Jackie Chan and “Sex and the City” author Candace Bushnell – were dazzled.
“I am amazed,” she told assembled reporters. “I didn’t see it coming. It is an absolute shock.”
The newly minted Miss World takes her responsibilities very seriously.
“Now I have a year of excitement, travel and working for various charities to look forward to,” she chirped. “I hope I can give it all back.”
Rosanna, whose daddy is “Lady in Red” singer Chris De Burgh, might have been surprised by her victory, but she was the bookmakers’ hot favorite to take the international title. Especially when she sashayed away with the bathing suit crown during last week’s preliminary rounds. Bookies in Ireland and England stayed busy last week, as people rushed to place bets that she would grab the title.
At Paddy Powers, a source told reporters that an “absolute flood of money” had been placed on the pretty Dalkey resident.
“She opened up at 9-1 two weeks ago,” said a spokesman. As the contest drew nearer, the odds “shot up to 4-1.”
Ladbrokes spokesman Rory O’Carroll concurred – albeit a tad inelegantly.
“In the industry we would say it [was] a one-horse book for us,” he told the press. “but in this case it [was] a one-girl book.”