A touch of pageantry
Rankin teen enjoying time in the world of beauty contests
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
RANKIN INLET
Rankin Inlet's Leonie Sammurtok is enjoying the glitz and glamour in the world of beauty pageants.
Leonie Sammurtok of Rankin Inlet finished first runnerup in her first international pageant. - photo courtesy of Isabelle Sammurtok |
The 16-year-old returned to Rankin this past month after competing at Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, where she placed first runnerup in the Miss Petite Teen category of the Miss Intercontinental Pageant.
Sammurtok said she got involved in the pageants after visiting a website called StarNow.
While not the top tier of pageantry, it looked like fun, and when the hosts asked her if she was interested in their pageant, she decided she was.
"I became interested in it mainly because of the Miss Canada Globe Pageant," said Sammurtok.
"They weren't really looking for models and that type of thing, but they were interested in people who could be themselves.
"I didn't need any experience to get started and learning as I went along was a lot of fun.
"The first year I competed I placed fourth runnerup in Toronto, where they hold the pageant every year."
One of the stipulations of the company that hosts the pageants, is that the participants have to recruit more girls to take part.
Sammurtok said she was able to sign up her recruits, and was then sent to her first international pageant at Punta Cana.
She said she's been asked to compete in another international pageant in the Dominican Republic this coming April, so she's looking for more girls who might be interested.
"Any girl interested can get hold of me, and I'll send in their information so they can compete in the next pageant.
"In addition to me in the Miss Teen Petite category at Punta Cana, there were contestants representing Canada in the categories of Miss, Miss Petite and Miss Teen, and two of the Canadian girls won their categories.
"I was in Punta Cana for a week after my pageant training, and I had a lot of fun there.
"They treated me first class all the way, and I felt really proud wearing an amauti in the national costume segment."
