Sports Illustrated's 50 Greatest Swimsuit Models (40-31)

Swim Daily Staff | Jun 24, 2013

This week, Sports Illustrated will be counting down its Top 50 all-time models, 10 per day, with the winner being revealed on Friday in conjunction with SI’s Summer of Swim Event at Wynn Las Vegas. Check back all week as the list is revealed.

COMPLETE LIST:No. 50-41 | No. 30-21 | No. 20-11 (coming Thu.) | No. 10-1 (coming Fri.)

40. Daniella Sarahyba

Daniella Sarahyba :: Riccardo Tinelli/SI

Daniella Sarahyba :: Raphael Mazzucco/SI

Daniella Sarahyba :: Riccardo Tinelli/SI

Daniella Sarahyba :: Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Hometown: Rio de Janiero, Brazil

Years in Swimsuit issue: 6 (2005-10)

Social:Twitter| Instagram

Modeling runs in the family for Sarahyba. Her mother, Mara Lucia Sarahyba, was a successful model in her native Brazil, and there’s little doubt she passed those genes down to Daniella, who has been canvased in many of the Swimsuit issues’ body painting series, and also earned a contract with esteemed modeling agency IMG.

Random Fact: Sarahyba began her modeling career as a toddler, making the cover of Pais & Filhos, a Brazilian parenting magazine, when she was three years old.

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39. Stephanie Seymour

Stephanie Seymour :: Marc Hispard/SI

Stephanie Seymour :: Marc Hispard/SI

Stephanie Seymour :: Hans Feurer/SI

Stephanie Seymour :: Marc Hispard/SI

Hometown: San Diego, Calif.

Years in Swimsuit issue: 3 (1988-89, 1991)

Social:Twitter

A mother of three, the 44-year-old Seymour outclassed younger competitors to earn a spot on Jason Wu’s spring 2013 ad campaign. Seymour is better known for her 20th century work, including her ‘80s and ‘90s shoots for Vogue. Her husband, major art collector and businessman Peter Brant, has a net worth of approximately $2.7 billion.

Random Fact: Seymour and Axl Rose, the lead singer of rock band Guns N’ Roses, dated briefly in the early ‘90s.

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38. Eva Herzigova

Eva Herzigova :: Russell James/SI

Eva Herzigova :: Russell James/SI

Eva Herzigova :: Russell James/SI

Eva Herzigova :: Russell James/SI

Eva Herzigova :: Russell James/SI

Hometown: Litvínov, Czech Republic

Years in Swimsuit issue: 3 (1997-99)

Social:Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

The 6-foot Herzigova, who has drawn frequent comparisons to Marilyn Monroe, supplemented her renowned modeling fame with minor roles in several movies. She gained widespread acclaim by starring in Sara Lee’s 1994 “Hello Boys” Wonderbra campaign, which was later exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Random Fact: Herzigova speaks four languages: English, Czech, Russian and French.

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37. Niki Taylor

Niki Taylor :: Myers Robertson/SI

Niki Taylor :: Sante D'Orazio/SI

Niki Taylor :: Myers Robertson/SI

Niki Taylor :: Sante D'Orazio/SI

Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Years in Swimsuit issue: 2 (1997-98)

Social:Twitter | Facebook

Taylor got an early start to her modeling career. After signing her first contract with Irene Marie Models at 13, Taylor landed on the cover of Seventeen one year later, then followed up by earning a cover shot on Vogue at 15. Taylor was also spotlighted on six Liz Claiborne billboards in New York City’s Times Square.

Random Fact: At age 15, Taylor became the youngest model ever to appear on the cover of Vogue.

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36. Judit Masco

Judit Masco :: Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Judit Masco :: Mike Reinhart/SI

Judit Masco :: Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Judit Masco :: Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Judit Masco :: Robert Huntzinger/SI

Robert Huntzinger/SI

Hometown: Barcelona, Spain

Years in Swimsuit issue: 5 (1990, 1992, 1994-96)

Social:Twitter

After her appearance on the cover of the 1990 SI Swimsuit issue, Masco appeared four more times. She received the Elle Woman of the Year Award in 2003 and is an accomplished writer, having published two books: her self-described memoir, El Libro de Judit Masco, and a book on the modeling world and her experiences, Modelo (Model).

Random Fact: In 2000, she paid a visit to death-row inmate and Spanish citizen Joaquin Jose Martinez in order to bring media attention to his case. The unwanted media attention resulted in a mistrial and Martinez’s subsequent trial saw his acquittal.

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35. Nina Agdal

Nina Agdal :: James Macari/SI

Nina Agdal :: James Macari/SI

Nina Agdal :: James Macari/SI

Nina Agdal :: James Macari/SI

Nina Agdal :: James Macari/SI

Nina Agdal :: James Macari/SI

Hometown: Hillerod, Denmark

Years in Swimsuit issue: 2 (2012-13)

Social:Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Agdal made her first appearance for SI in the 2012 Swimsuit issue and received “Rookie of the Year” honors for her performance. She was featured in a 2013 Superbowl commercial for Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s.

Random Fact: She doesn’t let the modeling grind change her habits: by her own account, she’ll have “a burger whenever [she] wants,” but she goes to the gym “three to four times a week” to keep in shape.

Quotable

On her favorite all-time SI Swimsuit model:"I think Veronica Varekova is stunning. My favorite cover of all time was Irina Shayk though. To me she's the queen of swimsuits."

On her best swimsuit memory:"Shooting the sporty one piece with James Macari in Australia. It was a moment where I for the first time in my career felt really proud of myself."

On her favorite shoot:"I've done three shoots for SI swimsuit but I'm still amazed with how beautiful Hayman Island, Australia was. I'm Danish so tropical locations fascinate me, but Australia WAS paradise. Except from the crazy birds and my fainting episode."

On her career since first swimsuit appearance:"It has definitely pushed my career and put my name out there. People know me now mostly for SI swimsuit which I'm happy with. The magazine embraces all different kind of women and body types and I'm proud to be representing SI."

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34. Daniela Pestova

Daniela Pestova :: Dominique Issermann/SI

Daniela Pestova :: Robert Erdmann/SI

Daniela Pestova :: Mike Reinhardt/SI

Daniela Pestova :: Dominique Issermann/SI

Hometown: Teplice, Czech Republic

Years in Swimsuit issue: 8 (1998-2004, 2006)

In addition to her three SI Swimsuit cover appearances in 1995, 2000, and 2006, Pestova has modeled for GQ, Cosmopolitan, and Victoria’s Secret, among others.

Random Fact: She claims to be addicted to bread: “I can’t even have one piece, because when I start, I don’t stop.”

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33. Carolyn Murphy

Carolyn Murphy :: Jeff Olson/SI

Carolyn Murphy :: Jeff Olson/SI

Carolyn Murphy :: Jeff Olson/SI

Carolyn Murphy :: Jeff Olson/SI

Hometown: Panama City, Fla.

Years in Swimsuit issue: 3 (2004-06)

Social:Instagram

Beginning at age 16, Murphy gained international exposure modeling in Japan and France. After being named “Model of the Year” by Vogue, Murphy made three appearances in Swimsuit issues, in addition to being featured in an Estee Lauder advertising campaign.

Random Fact: She attended the University of Virginia while modeling part-time.

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32. Jessica Gomes

Jessica Gomes :: Derek Kettela/SI

Jessica Gomes :: Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Jessica Gomes :: Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Jessica Gomes :: Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Jessica Gomes :: Stewart Shining/SI

Jessica Gomes :: Antoine Verglas/SI

Jessica Gomes :: Derek Kettela/SI

Hometown: Perth, Australia

Years in Swimsuit issue: 6 (2008-13)

Social:Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Born to a Portuguese father and a Chinese mother, Gomes has modeled in the last six consecutive Swimsuit editions, in addition to making appearances in Victoria’s Secret and Vogue.

Random Fact: Her voice is used to introduce Rick Ross’ label Maybach Music Group at the beginning of every track.

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