Many hooted, some simply smiled, but all stared when Mandi
Costa, covered in glitter and clad in a skimpy, sparkling rainbow
string-bikini, was crowned Miss Hollister Independence Rally
2005.
Hollister – Many hooted, some simply smiled, but all stared when Mandi Costa, covered in glitter and clad in a skimpy, sparkling rainbow string-bikini, was crowned Miss Hollister Independence Rally 2005.
Costa won the Fifth annual contest by crowd decision after judges declared a tie between her and second place contestant Naomi Sands, 24, of Hollister. Costa received more cheers from the mostly male crowd which helped her to secure the trophy and $1,000 cash prize.
It took a couple of cocktails and the urging of friend and fellow contestant Jennifer Janson, who placed third, to convince Costa to enter the pageant. The 26-year-old Gustine, Calif. resident had never modeled or competed before Saturday’s pageant.
“I’m excited, I’m going to party to now,” Costa said. “My momma will be proud.”
Sands, who received a trophy and $350 cash prize, was graceful in defeat and proud she placed second as family and friends watched. Sands watched the competition in years past and was encouraged to take the stage Saturday by her friend Brandi Sweeny, Miss Hollister Independence Rally 2003.
“I’m kind of disappointed, but excited that I even placed,” Sands said.
As a crowd filled Sixth Street in front of the stage, six women strutted their stuff to blaring 1980s rock. For their initial appearance, the contestants walked across the stage one-at-a-time dressed in less-than-full biker attire, pleasing the crowd with titillating poses on a bright orange Harley-Davidson.
The crowd whistled and hollered when Sands took the stage carrying a whip dressed in tight leather shorts and a matching halter top. But the shrill whistling peaked when Costa, clad in tight leather pants and a string-bikini top that left little to the imagination, posed backwards on the Harley and blew kisses to the audience.
Following a brief intermission, the contestants reappeared in swim suits, to the crowd’s delight, to make a final impression on the three judges before a decision was reached.
The panel of judges included Hollister Fire Chief Bill Garringer, San Benito County Marshall Robert Scattini and Hollister Independence Rally Committee Director Karen Mulligan.
The 2004 Miss Hollister Independence Rally winner, Stella Roberts, drove down from San Francisco to present Costa with a sash and the trophy.
In past year’s the winner has appeared on the rally’s official promotional poster, but Roberts did not appear on the 2005 poster and HIRC has not decided if Costa will appear on the 2006 poster. HIRC Treasurer John Loyd said more local merchant’s agreed to hang the poster in windows because this year it featured a photograph from the 1947 rally and one from the 2004 rally, instead of a bikini-clad woman.
Loyd and HIRC President Dave Ventura served as masters of ceremonies for this year’s Miss Hollister Rally pageant. Loyd said the event went well, but the tie for first place surprised everyone.
After the scores for the first three rounds were tabulated, with points for personality, both Costa and Sands were tied for first place. As a tie-breaker, judges then scored both women based on the crowd response. When this again resulted in a tie, Loyd and Ventura decided to let the audience make the final decision. And the crowd definitely chose Costa, Loyd said.
“We’ve never let the crowd choose before,” Loyd said. “But afterward many people told me that the crowd made the right decision.”
Brett Rowland covers beauty pageants for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
