Lorraine Downes
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| Lorraine Downes Beauty pageant titleholder |
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| Birth name: | Lorraine Elizabeth Downes |
| Birthdate: | June 12, 1964 |
| Birth location: | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Eye color: | Brown |
| Hair color: | Blonde |
| Ethnicity: | White/Caucasian |
| Title(s): | Miss New Zealand 1983 Miss Universe 1983 |
Lorraine Elizabeth Downes (born June 12, 1964 in Auckland, New Zealand), is a former beauty queen and model who held the Miss Universe title in 1983 and won the reality tv show Dancing with the Stars in 2006.
Downes won the Miss New Zealand title in 1983 and went on to represent her country at the Miss Universe 1983 pageant broadcast live from St. Louis, Missouri in July 1983. After the preliminary competition, Downes made the top twelve cut in sixth place, but placed second in the final evening gown competition, third in the interview competition, and fourth in swimsuit. She made the final five in third place behind Julie Hayek of the USA and Lolita Morena of Switzerland, and was eventually crowned Miss Universe. She wore a midnight blue gown and long gloves during the competition.
Downes win was New Zealand's first in the pageant's history, although Diana Delyse Nottle had placed second runner-up to Shawn Weatherly in 1980 and Donella Thomsen was a semi-finalist in 1981. No other delegate from New Zealand would make the cut until 1992.
In 1985 Lorraine Downes married Murray Mexted, a New Zealand rugby All Black, with whom she had two children, before divorcing in 1997. She also has a successful business in New Zealand. She is currently in a relationship with former New Zealand international cricketer Martin Crowe.[1]
After years of relative anonymity, Downes competed in and won the New Zealand version of Dancing with the Stars in 2006 with dance partner Aaron Gilmore.[1]
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| Preceded by Karen Baldwin |
Miss Universe 1983 |
Succeeded by Yvonne Ryding |
| Preceded by Norm Hewitt & Carol-Ann Hickmore |
Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand) winner Season 2 (2006 with Aaron Gilmore) |
Succeeded by Suzanne Paul & Stefano Olivieri |
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| Miss Universe Lorraine Downes |
Miss USA Julie Hayek |
Miss Teen USA Ruth Zakarian |
