Local Birds Don Bikinis For Miss Bondi

By Dan Hutton on December 15, 2010 in News

Bikini contests are renowned for attracting aspirational westies with big fake boobs and faces full of heavy make-up, hoping to be the next Lara Bingle, Krystle Forscutt or some other equally inspiring individual.

I wish I could say that the Miss Bondi competition was any different, but essentially it’s the same old formula with a few better sorts thrown in for good measure.

Originally started in the early 1970s, Miss Bondi entrants not only had to exhibit a pretty face and a great body, they also had to prove that they could hold a decent conversation with the Master of Ceremonies to win the title.

And with a total prize pool of $15,000 and a winner’s purse of $3500, the incentive to disrobe in front of a room full of rowdy blokes is obvious.

While the majority of Miss Bondi entrants are out-of-towners, a couple of the aforementioned ‘better sorts’ hail from the beaches of the east, namely Makayla George, Candice Shepherd and Jodie Hayes, who were talked into entering the contest by friends and work colleagues.

“I would never have entered if it weren’t for my friends talking me into it, but it was actually really fun. Still, I’m glad I missed out on the finals because I’m not sure I could get up there in front of all those people in a bikini again!” George told The Beast.

Miss Bondi certainly pulls a big crowd and it’s not confined to within the walls of the pub. Eugene Tan from surf photography website Aquabumps has been shooting Miss Bondi for a number of years now and he is always astounded by the interest that his images garner.

“It’s amazing how many people click through to the Miss Bondi galleries I put up on Aquabumps each year. People seem to like the waves but they love the women in bikinis even more,” Tan told The Beast.

The final of Miss Bondi was held on December 12 with local favourite Candice walking away with the winner’s cheque.

A number of local photography websites have extensive galleries of the MIss Bondi competition. Visit www.aquabumps.com or www.frothers.com.au to view shots from some top photographers.

The image on this page was kindly provided by local wedding photographer Bill Kriketos and you can see more on his flickr site (username: bk photography.com.au) or by logging on to www.bkphotography.com.au.