Las Vegas Weekly

February 10, 2009 · 10:31 AM

Bar Refaeli lands cover of 2009 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue

By Robin Leach

Bar Refaeli.

Photo: Sports Illustrated

Nineteen sexy bikini-clad models battled it out for the prestigious cover of the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and this morning the honor went to 23-year-old Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli.

Now Vegas DeLuxe can officially and exclusively confirm that all the swimsuit beauties will jump onboard a specially decorated Southwest debut flight from La Guardia Airport in New York on Thursday and hours later attend a VIP celebration party here at LAX in the Luxor.

Bar has been romantically linked with Leonardo DiCaprio, and they have been spotted previously here in Vegas at the Bank and Jet.

S.I. editors sorted through 90,000 photos before selecting the provocative Bar shot for the cover. She’s seen wearing a Missoni string bikini with the ties pulled down low, and the editors acknowledge that it might raise a few eyebrows for being past her exposed tan lines! Photographers spent three days on location in the Grenadines shooting the 19 models, who choose from 10,000 bathing suits during the swimsuit issue shoot.

Photo: Sports Illustrated

Bar Refaeli was chosen to grace the cover of the 2009 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

The models will begin Thursday’s journey to Vegas riding a bus throughout Manhattan that will be plastic wrapped with their photos from their magazine issue. The Southwest flight also will be wrapped in their photos as Vegas DeLuxe first reported last week -- click HERE. After their overnight stay at the Luxor, the gorgeous girls will test drive new autos on the Strip as part of the New York-Las Vegas promotion. The Southwest plane will be put into normal rotation, which means it will be seen flying in and out of McCarran over the next two months in advance of a hoped-for new direct Southwest route between LaGuardia and Vegas.

S.I.’s swimsuit issues began in 1964 and were released in February of each year at the break between major sports seasons. Supermodel Cheryl Tiegs appeared on the cover in 1970, 1975 and again in 1983. The bestseller over the years was the 1989 issue with cover girl Kathy Ireland in a white strapless bikini.

Photo: Sports Illustrated

Bar Refaeli.

Editor Terry McDonnell commented: “The cover has to reflect athleticism and sexiness of the culture. This year’s photo is modern, and both her hair and swimsuit look natural. You even see her freckles. Her body is amazing, and she also looks intelligent. Models have to have healthy figures -- a skinny waif doesn’t work here.”

Bar, who has been featured inside twice in previous swimsuit issues, had the last word: “This is the one swimsuit and photo I felt the most comfortable with. We had the beach, the blue water and the body. I liked that the top of the suit was kept on!”

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