Jessica Schollum missed out on the Miss Whangamata beach pageant twice before and wasn't taking any chances this time.
So she turned to her lucky charm - an itsy bitsy, teeny weeny, yellow sequinned string bikini - which she wore to win the Miss Indy New Zealand title in October,going on to represent New Zealand on the Gold Coast in Australia.
The 20-year-old lives in Auckland but referred to her Whangamata roots to appeal to the judges yesterday as she batted off second place winner Amelia Borley, 18, from Surrey in England, and Waihi Beach's Sarah Choat, also 18, in third.
Jessica, a hospitality student, has been modelling for two years and had also entered Miss Ralph and Miss Indy last year without success, so was pleased to finally be crowned Miss Whangamata.
"It's good. It's like going on adrenalin. It's really fun to get out there on stage and show what you can do."
Three hours of primping, fake tanning and plucking paid off for Jessica, although she admitted the curls struggled to withstand the strong wind.
Her supportive mother and boyfriend were among the 1500 spectators gathered at Williamson's Park to watch 119 girls aged from 4 to 20 strut on stage.
Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club lifetime member and event organiser Richard Scelly was pleased the dodgy weather hadn't kept the spectators away from the club's biggest fundraising event.
"I'm sure the crowd is as big as last year," he said.
However, registrations were slightly down this time, with only seven contestants entering the main category, compared with 17 in2010.
Mr Scelly, a long-time Whangamata resident, came up with the idea of a Miss Whangamata pageant 26 years ago while standing in the hot sun in Thames selling raffle tickets for the club.
"I remember thinking there must be a better way."
The club raises money through sponsorship and charging a $6 registration fee.
