June 9, 2011. Ibiza, Spain – Dutch contestant Tatjana Maul has won the O’Neill One Way Runway model search in Ibiza. Tatjana wowed the judges not only with her natural beauty and model looks, but also with her playful and positive attitude as she walked the catwalk built into the cliff at Cala Bassa beach before leaping into the sea.
“I can’t believe this whole experience,” said Tajiana. “At the moment it doesn’t feel real. I think when I go back to Holland and take a breath I will realise how amazing these few days have been,” she said. “I just can’t believe I won!!!”
Tatjana will star in the Spring Summer 12 campaign for O’Neill and has also won a modeling contract with Next Model Management.
All 12 girls from around the world - chosen from the thousands who joined the competition on www.facebook.com/oneillgirls, put on a spectacular show in front of the hundreds gathered around the cliff for the event.
However despite all the confidence and smiles on the Runway, there were a few nerves and fears amongst the girls.
I didn’t tell anyone before, but I am actually scared of heights,” said Tatjana. “However the one good thing was I knew that the O’Neill Superkini was going to stick to me, which was quite a good thing considering there were cameramen under the water!”
Given the enthusiasm and excitement from all the girls, it was a tough decision for the panel of judges who were sitting watching the catwalk and cliff jump. Choosing the winner were supermodel, Elyse Taylor, O’Neill professional surfer, Raine Jackson, O’Neill Female Brand Manager, Carla Eikenaar, Next Model Management Women’s Booker, Grace Puc, and Company Magazine editor Victoria White.
“All the girls were amazing up there today,” said Elyse Taylor. “They looked great, had so much energy and so many laughs, and they had guts to jump off that runway.”
“Tatjana is the perfect O’Neill girl,” said O’Neill Female Brand Manager, Carla Eikenaar. “She is the kind of girl who will have fun no matter what she is doing, and she looked amazing up there on the One Way Runway.”
Although it was a competition – which started back in March on www.facebook.com/oneillgirls - the past three days has been focused on having fun.
“Of course we have all come here and want to win,” said German contestant Sophie Ferch. “But actually it has been so much fun and I have had the best time hanging out with all of the girls, it has become more about the whole experience. It’s been amazing.
The finalists on the One Way Runway were (in alphabetical order):
ALICE IVAN (USA)
AURORE MORISSE (BE)
JENNIFER VAN DER TOORN (NL)
KARYCIA IGLESIAS (ES)
NATASHA FOOTMAN (GB)
SARAH EBSTEIN (FR)
SOPHIE FERCH (DE)
SOPHIE JASPERS (BE)
STEVIE BREEZE (AU)
TATJANA MAUL (NL)
TEREZKA PROUZOVA (CZ)
VALENTINA VALENTE (PT)
