Beauty queen going international

Miss Waimarama Lucia Powrie (centre), 18, of Napier, with runner-up Kylee McKeenie (left), 16, of Napier, and third placegetter Stella West (right), 19, of Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland

This year's Miss Waimarama loves Hawke's Bay but her sights are set overseas.

Napier Girls' High School student Lucia Powrie, 18, wishes to study industrial design in Wellington through Massey University, but there are not a lot of Hawke's Bay jobs in her field.

"I think Hawke's Bay is a beautiful place - definitely a great place to grow up - but I will probably have to go international," she said.

"I will come back here and retire eventually."

Friend Jerri Magill said she talked Lucia into entering Miss Waimarama on the drive to the beach.

Lucia said she was fine on stage "except I thought I might throw up".

Runner-up was Kylee McKeenie, a 16-year-old Tamatea High School student, and third was 19-year-old Stella West of Hastings, who has recently completed nursing studies.

The crowd could have been more vocal in their support for the 26 entrants, aged 16 to 20, parading in their bikinis.

Thousands watched as contestants walked one-by-one on a makeshift stage on the back of a truck behind the Waimarama Surf Lifesaving Club.

Judges said the competition was tight, narrowing the field down to nine finalists instead of the planned six.

Each finalist was interviewed about her age, occupation and aspirations before the prizewinners were presented with flowers and package prizes from sponsors, including gym memberships.