It was una
bella notte sudamericana tonite, with four of the final six contestants for Miss Italia nel Mondo 2011 from South America.
The new Miss Italia nel Mondo 2011 is Silvia Novais, 24, Miss Amazzonia. Perhaps
Carmen Sandiego can tell us where in the hell Amazzonia is, because the first runner-up was
assolutamente robbed, and she is from a country that is on the map! Really, Silvia, why couldn't your sash just say Brasile Amazzonia or Brasile Salvador or Brasile Sao Paulo?
The knock your socks off stunning Miss Argentina Valentina Di Paola was first runner-up in the glittering, outdoors gala televised lived from the beautiful Calabrian coast on Italian TV network RAI 1. Second runner-up was Miss Spain Iride Fontana. Why oh why can't Argentina and Spain send the likes of Valentina and Iride to Miss Universe or Miss World???
Rounding out the top six were Miss Ecuador, Miss Switzerland, and Miss Venezuela.
French actor Gerard Depardieu was president of the jury, which also included Miss Italia emcee Carlo Conti and studs Daniele Liotti, Kaspar Capparoni, and Andrew Howe.
On Wednesday evening, Valentina Di Paola won the Miss Italia Argentina 2011 title, giving her the right to represent her nation (which is chock-full of folks of Italian heritage, by the way) at the Miss Italia nel Mondo 2011 pageant. Valentina is from the city of Mendoza, in the Andes, is 22, an enology student, and stands 1m72. What is an enology student, you ask? Someone who studies all aspects of wine-making except vine-growing and grape-harvesting. The Miss Argentina Italia 2011 took place at the Circulo Italiano in Buenos Aires. 19 women from across the country competed for the coveted title. 
