The 2009 Miss Ocean Contest will be launched in Qingdao on July 10.

The organizing committee has already selected beauties from all over the world, who are concerned about environmental protection, world peace and public welfare, to take part in the unique competition.

The annual event, which started in 2001 as a part of the Qingdao Ocean Festival, is the first in the world to have a marine and sailboat theme, having categories such as the Capital’s Sailboat Beauty, Miss Sailboat and Miss Olympic Sailing.

This year the organizers have also changed the rules of the competition, allowing married women aged between 29 and 40 to take part in the beauty contest.

The semi-finals will be held throughout August with the competition completing in September.

(China Daily July 14, 2009)