Jennifer Pokrass won TheV247.com's Hottest Swimsuit Contest with a little help from her friends.
In May, the Rancho Viejo resident came in second-place in TheV247.com's Hottest Bar Staffer Contest. Pokrass' friend and co-worker, Veronica Lawrence, won that one, but this time around Lawrence chose to campaign for her friend.
"Veronica helped out a lot," Pokrass said. "She and a lot of other friends and family got the word out, went online and made it happen."
Getting the word out was key to winning the contest prize package, which includes a two-night stay for two at a South Padre Island hotel and dinner for two at Louie's Backyard. TheV247.com readers voted on contestants' swimsuit photos every week, starting July 4 through August 20. Pokrass led the female contestants every week, usually with a margin of fifty to 100 votes.
"You have to hustle to get those votes," Pokrass said.
Pokrass creatively added links to her contestant page on her MySpace.com profile and encouraged her friends and family to do the same. She also relied on her strong relationships with customers at the Coral Reef Lounge on South Padre Island, where she works as a bar staffer.
Now that the contest is over, Pokrass plans to celebrate and relax.
"It's really cool to win this. I'm going to have a party with my friends and enjoy the moment," she said.
Jordan Leech, the male-division winner, has similar celebration pans.
"I'm going to have a fiesta," he said. "I'm going to bring my deadbeat friends that don't have jobs to eat Louie's,"
Leech, a Tupelo, Mississippi native, moved to South Padre Island in February. The local surfer credits his win to his Island friends, especially the girls.
"I got a lot of vocal South Padre Island friends that got the word out. It was the island girls that really helped me," he said.
Leech said he'll take the prize package, but he's not sure he deserves it.
"There are probably way better looking guys to pick from out there. I don't know how I snuck in on that one, but I came out a winner."
Visit www.TheV247.com to view videos and photos featuring the Hottest Swimsuit Contest Winners.
