Tensions were rising yesterday among the bevy of Miss World hopefuls amid frantic last-minute preparations following four grueling weeks of charity work, photo shoots, dieting and rehearsals.
"It's been mad and chaotic," Miss England, Jackie Turner, said.
After two weeks of touring the cities of Xian, Shanghai and Beijing, the 106 young women vying to replace reigning Miss Turkey have entered the final phase ahead of tomorrow's contest in southern Hainan province.
"Tensions are rising. You can really feel it starting to get more competitive," said the 25-year-old Turner, but she denied it was getting nasty.
"There's been no fighting, no one's being bitchy," said the former model.
"Everyone is still being friendly to each other, but we're at the stage now where people are saying to themselves -- I'm in this for me."
Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Miss Canada, an athletic 24-year-old of Iranian descent, said that while she felt little pressure, a few more days of rehearsals would be ideal.
"I feel like we need more time," said Afshin-Jam, who is one of the favorites to win.
Miss World spokesman Paul Ridley agreed that much remained to be done and time was tight.
"We have five days of work to cram into three days to deliver a show that everyone will be proud of. Nothing is quite right and nothing is so far off target to be a real concern," he said.
"But I think the girls are standing up to it well," he said.
The contestants have only two hours of relaxation a day, and even that is under the strict supervision of chaperones, with sex and alcohol prohibited.
"It's been like detox, a nice detox," said Turner, who promises to throw a big bash when she gets home to Bournemouth, in southern England.
"Of course, it would be nice to have more time to relax in the sunshine," she said.
Organizers said that regulations this year were particularly strict due to last year's disaster in Nigeria, where sectarian riots forced Miss World contestants to flee to London.
In China, organizers have faced nothing more troublesome than an aggressive local press and excited fans, said Ridley.
The combination of tight scheduling and rules has largely kept reporters at bay, and the local media has been vocal about the lack of access.
In the run-up to Miss World, the girls have taken part in four other competitions, with the winners fast-tracked to the final 20.
Miss Georgia, Irina Onashvili, won the talent contest; Miss Bolivia, Helen Aponte Saucedo, was voted most personable; Miss Ireland, Rosanna Davison, was sexiest in a swimsuit; and Miss Canada was most athletic.
Online voters will today select a fifth girl as the "people's choice" candidate.
Anxious to look slim and beautiful, many of the women have been on a steady diet of fruit, salads and fish, Turner said.
Hotel staff at the Sheraton Sanya said the girls had been ordering up to 3,000kg of fruit a day, though most of it was going to waste.
But for all the hectic preparations at the tropical beach resort in Sanya, much will depend on what was to happen yesterday and today, when a panel of judges headed by action movie star Jackie Chan conducts face-to-face interviews with each contestant.
Those interviews will be crucial in determining who makes the cut into the final 20, said judge and reigning Mr World, Gustavo Gianetti.
"It will be a difficult mission for me to choose with so many beautiful women," said Gianetti, adding that "intelligent answers to judges' questions was most important."
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