Throwback Thursday: SI Swimsuit Launch Week 2014

Rebecca Shore | Feb 26, 2014

#hotbus (Bonus points if you can find Managing Editor Chris Stone in the fray)

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WHEN YOU spend a week in two cities with some of the most beautiful women in the world, every moment is a Kodak moment. Here are some of the best images as captured by a few of us normal folk (Andy Gray, Ben Reiter, Joey Maestas, Hilary Drezner and myself) who accompanied them.

Make sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom to see my pick for Shot of the Week.

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Cover Girls 2k14 at the Fontainebleau pool party on Wednesday

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Richard "Shades" Sherman emceed the launch party later that evening.

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Samantha Hoopes learning that Launch Week is just straight cray

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They've got a lotta signing to do.

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Nina: "Take my picture so people can see how much work I did signing these issues for charity!"

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Nina with her mother, who flew in from Copenhagen for the festivities. I asked her what Nina was like growing up and she said, "The same. Very independent since age 2!" (Also noteworthy: Mama Agdal wore amazing PVC Doc Martens.)

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Chrissy, working,

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Chrissy, WERKing.

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Chrissy putting her own spin on the Beach Bunny bottoms Nina rocked on the cover.

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Hannah (left) and IMG agent Lisa Benson (second from right) take in a rare moment of downtime.

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Nina handles our rapid fire questions like a pro.

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In retrospect the questions weren't that easy, as evidenced by a bewildered Hannah on the hot seat.

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Relentless weirdoes!

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Sherm gets a word in with Kate Upton.

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Flo Rida started his set with a tribute to Swimsuit-athlete Skylar Diggins (inset). Later in the night he swapped it out for a Swimsuit cover tee—which came only after his second set which he performed shirtless.

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Erin Andrews' favorite cornerback held his own during his emcee gig, even when the teleprompter cut out.

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Flo Rida's charisma was powerful enough to coerce MJ and Chanel up onto the stage at LIV.

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Hannah and SI writer Ben Reiter rose early after a night of partying to film a SwimDaily video at Turnberry Isle country club. Good sports!

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Reason Life isn't Fair No. 582853252: Models who look as good after playing a sport as they do before it. Looking at you, Emily R.

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AND you, Miss Ariel.

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Pro-surfer Anastasia Ashley is right at home doing sporty things in a beach setting, like this Swimsuit models vs. celebrity chefs volleyball game that took place last Thursday.

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This pose represents to me that terrifying moment when I would blank on how to serve properly. Lily didn't have that problem.

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HOOPES!

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Chanel

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Kate Bock looks to Andy for tips on making the kill.

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Nina sasses the SwimDaily cameras.

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Sara finds her dancing feet . . .

. . . and does the SwimDaily shake. (It'll be a thing.)

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Gigi sneakily kept her junior Olympic volleyball experience on the D.L. which made her team's win that much sweeter.

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CHAMPIONSHIP POINT

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The unwieldy trophy which went home with Gigi to NYC required its own seat on the charter flight.

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Jess Gomes shows off her red carpet skills (she hosted the ARIA awards several months back) for Thursday night's South Beach Soiree on the rooftop at Dolce Italian.

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Jess with Gigi who is not only wearing an amazing dress, but an amazing dress that has POCKETS

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Poor visibility forced the charter flight to reroute to Richmond, aka the Miami of Virginia. From left: Lily Aldridge, Hakeem Nicks (guest of Ariel Meredith), Ariel, SI marketing great Blaine, Nina and Nina's mother.

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Kicking it in the all kinds of luxe Million Air lounge. Clockwise from bottom left: makeup artist Tracy Murphy's legs, Lauren, Valerie, Ariel, Genevieve, Anne V, my water bottle. Alyssa Miller made a surprise cameo on the cover of Million Air magazine (on table in center).

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Getting the all-clear from air traffic control kicked off a champagne-soaked Part II for the trip home.

* * * SHOT OF THE WEEK * * *

Ben Reiter captured the historic moment when Chrissy blew the mind of Shermby showing him this take on his infamous post-game rant aka "Shermit the Frog":