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Miss Universe, Finland, Baguio reunite; Shirly Karvinen fails to follow Armi Kuusela, Teija Sopanen’s footsteps

| Feb 06, 2017 02:55 AM EST

Miss Mauritius Kushboo Ramnawaj, Miss New Zealand Tania Dawson, Miss Norway Christina Waage, Miss Peru Valeria Piazza, Miss Finland Shirly Karvinen and Miss Puerto Rico Brenda Jimenez attend a Miss Universe 2016 event.

Shortly after becoming the very first Miss Universe in 1952, Armi Kuusela of Finland met Virgilio Hilario in Baguio City, Philippines. Recently, Miss Finland Shirly Karvinen was in the same city for a Miss Universe 2016 event.

In March 1953, Kuusela and Hilario met at a dance in Baguio City. On May 4, 1953, the Finish beauty queen chose to give up her Miss Universe crown and to marry the Filipino businessman in Tokyo, Japan.

Kuusela and Hilario had five children namely Arne Hilario, Anna-Lisa De Gari, Eva-Maria Hess and Mikko Hilario. They now live in Chile, Spain, Canada, the United States and the Philippines, respectively.

In 1972, Anne Marie Pohtamo became the second Miss Finland to win Miss Universe. Had Karvinen become Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach's successor, she would have been the third Miss Finland to win the Miss Universe crown.

On Jan. 18, Karvinen was one of the Miss Universe 2016 candidates who joined the dinner party at Cordillera Convention Hall, Baguio Country Club, in Baguio City. Hosted by Miss Universe 2011 third runner-up Shamcey Supsup, the event was attended by Wurtzbach, Miss Universe Organization president Paula Shugart and Miss Universe 2016 host committee chairman Chavit Singson, who recently reacted to the comparisons between him and Donald Trump.

"We're very different," GMA News quoted Singson as saying. "I'm going to give away my money. I don't think Trump can do that."

On Jan. 30, Monday, Wurtzbach crowned Miss France Iris Mittenaere as her successor at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. Miss Haiti Raquel Pelissier was first runner-up while Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar was second runner-up.

Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen gave advice to the newly crowned Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere. Like Mittenaere, Sen won her crown in the Philippines.

"I wish Miss France a great year of reign, but more importantly, she will have Philippines that will love her because I know this feeling," Sen told the same publication. "If you win in the Philippines, you will have the love of the Philippines for all your life."

Mittenaere, Pelissier and Tovar were also present during the Miss Universe 2016 event in Baguio. Have a glimpse of the event here: 

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