Judges Pick Top 15 Miss Universe 2010 Candidates

Preliminary judges have already selected the Top 15 candidates for the 2010 Miss Universe beauty contest now being held in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. You can watch it now online here.

The semifinalists were chosen three days ahead of the pageant and will be announced during the televised show on Monday night Aug. 23.

The 83 contestants were ranked based on evening gown and swimsuit, during a two-hour presentation at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Early favorites who got the loudest cheers from the audience were the candidates from Philippines, Haiti, Canada, Australia, USA, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

The celebrity judges for this year are: illusionist Criss Angel, actor William Baldwin, musician Sheila E, MSNBC Live anchor Tamron Hall, figure skater Evan LysacekEvan Lysacek, actor Chazz Palminteri, singer/actress Chynna Phillips, actress Jane Seymour and model Niki Taylor.

The Miss Universe Organization (MUO)-sponsored survey via the website's online poll shows

The Top 15 favorites (votes online) consist of

1.Miss Philippines Maria Venus Raj

2.Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson

3.Miss Bolivia Claudia Arce Lemaitre

4.Miss Jamaica Yendi Philips,

5. Miss Guatemala Jessica Scheel,

6. Miss Thailand Fonthip Watcharatrakul,

7. Miss Indonesia Qory Sandioriva,

8. Miss Peru Guiliana Zevallos,

9. Miss Mexico Jimena Navarette,

10. Miss Colombia Natalia Navarro,

11. Miss Russia Irina Antonenko,

12. Miss Puerto Rico Mariana Paola Vicente,

13. Miss Brazil Deborah Lyra,

14. Miss Trinidad and Tobago LaToya Woods,

15.Miss Haiti Sarodj Bertin.

Although this does not affect the judges tally of the scores.

UPDATE:

The OFFICIAL final 15 contestants announced tonight were: 21-year-old Miss Puerto Rico Mariana Paola Vicente, 23-year-old Miss Ukraine Anna Poslavska, 22-year-old Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete, 19-year-old Miss Belgium Cilou Annys, 20-year-old Miss Ireland Rozanna Purcell and 22-year-old Miss South Africa Nicole Flint. 23-year-old Miss France Malika Menard, 19-year-old Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell, 24-year-old Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps, 18-year-old Miss Russia Irina Antonenko, 24-year-old Miss Albania Angela Martini, 23-year-old Miss Colombia Natalia Navarro, 20-year-old Miss Guatemala Jessica Scheel, 18-year-old Miss Czech Republic Jitka Valkova and 22-year-old Miss Philippines Venus Raj, 22.

Do you have your choices yet? Who's your bet? Please write your choices in the comment section below...