Contestant Sahar Biniaz celebrates as she wins the Miss Universe Canada when she is crowned by 2011 winner Chelsea Durocher (R) at the end of the competition in Toronto, May 19, 2012.
Credits: REUTERS/Mark Blinch
TORONTO - Sahar Biniaz, of Vancouver, has been crowned Miss Universe Canada.
The final chapter in the highly publicized pageant came to an end at the Bluma Appel Theatre in downtown Toronto late Saturday night.
Model Jenna Talackova may not have been named Miss Universe Canada, but she still made history as the first transgendered female to compete in the contest.
The 6-foot-1 blonde was the recipient of one of four "Miss Congeniality" titles in the contest.
Competing alongside 62 other contestants, the 23-year-old was selected as one of the Top 12 finalists but wasn¹t a contender in the final five.
Adwoa Yamoah, of Calgary, was first runnerup.
The competition was in the international spotlight after Talackova was initially ousted from the contest after it was learned she started life as a male.
The Vancouver native had failed to mention in her pageant application that she wasn't a "naturally born" female.
After worldwide furor over the model¹s expulsion, competition owner Donald Trump reinstated Talackova.
She underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2010 to become the female that she is today.
Biniaz, meanwhile, will go on to compete for the ultimate crown in the International Miss Universe Competition.
The host city has yet to be announced.
