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Issue 15, April 14, 2004:
Elizabeth Crowned
Miss Norway 2004
In a tough competition with
10 talented and beautiful young Norwegian-American women, Elizabeth Malmstrom,
18, from Branchville, NJ, was crowned Miss Norway of Greater New York
on April 4.
By IRINA LEE
Hudson River, NY
More than 200 guests attended
this year’s Miss Norway of Greater New York Contest, which took part
onboard the World Yacht Cruise’s "Princess".
Overwhelmed
As the "Princess" approached the New York harbor after a
three-hour long dinner cruise on the Hudson river, the judges could finally
reveal the winner of this year’s Miss Norway contest.
The crowd exploded in cheers and applause after 18-year-old Elizabeth
"Liz" Malmstrom was announced the winner.
"I’m overwhelmed," Elizabeth stuttered, after she received
the crown and the official Miss Norway-banner was draped over her right
shoulder. She can also look forward to a much-longed for trip to Norway,
after winning a round trip ticket from SAS.
"Who are you going to take with you to Norway?"
"My mother, Linda," Elizabeth said, without hesitating.
Jenny Ludvigsen, 18, from Rockaway Point, NY, who was crowned as this
year’s Heritage Winner, also took home a SAS round trip ticket to
Norway.
This year’s Miss Norway contest was special in many ways. Not only
was the event a salute to the Norwegian Club’s 100th anniversary
and a celebration of the Norwegian Immigrant Association’s Heritage
Hall’s first year, but it was also the 50th anniversary of the Miss
Norway of Greater New York Contest.
Proud Representative
The very first woman crowned Miss Norway in 1954, 65-year-old Shirley
Bensen-Manning, had traveled from Grand Rapids, MI to New York with her
husband Larry and her daughter Kristen to celebrate the anniversary.
"I was only 15 years old when I was crowned Miss Norway, and I didn’t
fully realize the worth of it until later on," Shirley Bensen-Manning
told Norway Times.
In her speech she also stressed the importance of the event, and what
it has meant for her personally.
"I now realize what a privilege it was to be able to enter a contest,
which recognized the importance of our shared Norwegian culture, as part
of the many ethnic contributions to his great city and our adopted country.
I think all the participants realize, as young women, the confidence it
gives us and the wellspring of pride for being Norwegian," she said
in her speech.
"It was not, as I now realize, so important for me to be the queen,
but the importance lay in what I became as a representative of all Norwegians
in this great country," she later added.
She also gave praise to the committee members, who have developed this
contest over the past 50 years. "They should be commended for the
pride and confidence they instilled in all Norwegians by recognizing our
unique heritage as citizens of the United States," she said.
Honorary Judge
This year’s committee, which consisted of Victor Samuelsen, Rolf
Stang, Vibeke Steineger, Anne Marie Borhaug Jensen, Laila Jensen, and
Jack Seamen, has put tremendous work into making this a memorable event.
The committee also managed to get Norwegian Geir Ness, who is the creator
of "Laila" Perfume and a successful businessman in the U.S.,
to serve as a Honorary Judge at the event. That is quite an accomplishment,
considering the fact that Ness travels across the U.S. 330 days each year.
"This event is a positive happening, because the participants have
to offer something besides good looks. In judging them, I will pay most
attention to their personalities. I think it is important that they appear
Norwegian, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the winner has
to be blond and have blue eyes," Ness said before the event started,
who also donated a gift basket of "Laila" Essentials to the
winner.
Besides Ness, the panel of judges included Lena Barnes of SAS; Gunnar
Eklund of Icelandair; Ulrika Bengtsson, owner and chef of Ulrika’s
Reaturant in New York; Peter Rasmussen of Auto Europe; and Vibeke Steineger,
chairperson of the NIA, who also was crowned Miss Norway 1970 in Norway.
After all 11 participants had presented themselves, with assistance from
Master of Ceremonies Rolf Stang, the judges deliberated. As the "Princess"
passed the Statue of Liberty, the gray skies cleared, and the sun finally
came out. And, as the dinner cruise came to an end, the 1954 winner, Shirley
Bensen-Manning, could finally congratulate Elizabeth Malmstrom as the
50th Miss Norway of Greater New York.
Previous Stories:
• Issue 14, April
7, 2004
Bush Stirs Debate
at Nordic Deli
• Issue 13, March
31, 2004
The Last of the Norwegians
on Lapskaus Boulevard
• Issue 12, March
24, 2004
Successful Debut for Nordic
Expo
• Issue 11, March
17, 2004
Sokndal - A Town in Slow
Motion
• Issue 10, March
10, 2004
Friendly Visit in Troubled
Times
• Issue 9, March
3, 2004
New Film Explores the
Heroes of the North
• Issue 8, February
25, 2004
Kofi Annan Greets
Norwegian Artists
• Issue 7, February
18, 2004
Bølgen & Moi
Open
Restaurant in Hudson
• Issue 6, February
11, 2004
Norwegian Diva With
Broadway Dreams
• Issue 5, February
4, 2004
Norway's New Princess Named
• Issue 4, January
28, 2004
Helga's Historic Walk
Across America
• Issue 3, January
21, 2004
Arne Næss Jr. Dies
Climbing in South Africa
• Issue 2, January
14, 2004
Norway's Kurt Ready
To Conquer the World
• Issue 1, January
7, 2004
Dragsten Honors Sons of
Norway's Founding Fathers
