Winner Maritza Rivas (Photo by Conch Creative)

Best Costume went to Miss Nicaragua Maritza Rivas as well. (Photo by Conch Creative)

Cristian had the crowd swooning from his arrival to his concert. (Photo by Efrain Serrano)

Adrian Uribe performed on Sunday, family night, to a packed venue. (Photo by Efrain Serrano)

    The lights shone, the smoke emerged and from there the eight beautiful delegates materialized. All gorgeous and dancing to the beat of energetic music, dressed in sparkling silver swimsuits and colorful wings, the ladies made their presence felt on stage. The mood was set for a fantastic show from the opening number. Miss Belize Felicita Arzu, Miss Costa Rica Jennifer Miranda, El Salvador Raquel Bonilla, Miss Guatemala Angelica Morfin, Miss Honduras Ruth Arita Luna, Miss Mexico Marliese Ayala, Miss Nicaragua Maritza Rivas, and Miss Panama Nathalia Tamayo delivered.

    Following the opening number, the audience was delighted by the costume segment. The costumes brought out a kaleidoscope of colors, sparkles and feathers unto the stage. From elaborate head dresses to glorious dresses, the ladies, through their costumes, expressed part of their culture to the Belizean public and made everyone aware of the fact that even though we are separated by boundaries, our Mayan culture unites us. Blues and oranges, reds and greens, pinks and purples - the stage shone with all the beautiful and vibrant colors.

    As they sashayed in red bikinis, the audience applauded for the ladies’ third appearance of the night. With bounce and spunk in their step, the eight delegates showcased their toned bodies and had the crowd cheering for more. And more was delivered, as the evening gown segment took everyone’s breath away. Full of glamour, poise, and elegance, the ladies glided gracefully down the catwalk to the sound of the beautiful Mayan flute. Slowly, one by one, the girls presented themselves, beautiful and elegant.

    Nervous but eloquent the girls faced their toughest competition yet, the question and answer section; each girl walked up to the glass bowl, anxious to find out what their question would be. And answer perfectly, they all did. Pride in their countries shone through the words they expressed.

    The moment of truth arrived shortly after, when the announcements were made; Best Costume was won by Miss Nicaragua Maritza Rivas, who took the prize of a carved wooden trophy to commemorate her win. Cheers rang out as the Masters of Ceremonies revealed the name of the second runner up, Miss Mexico Marliese Ayala, and then the first runner up Miss Guatemala, Angelica Morfin. And the final moment, one in which the audience held their breath, was certainly worth the wait. Hosts Eiden Salazar Jr. and Lilian Villanueva jointly announced to the waiting crowd that the winner of the Reina de la Costa Maya Pageant 2009 was, Miss Nicaragua, Maritza Rivas! As confetti rained down and sparklers lit the stage, an exuberant Maritza celebrated her win with her newfound friends on stage, while in the crowd, everyone celebrated Nicaragua’s first ever pageant win. Congratulations to Maritza on a job well done!