World Cup Soccer

NEW YORK, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Smiling in the clear blue water of the Maldives, supermodel Brooklyn Decker sizzles on the cover of the highly-anticipated 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (www.SI.com/Swimsuit) out today. Tabbed "A Perfect 10," Decker is a five-year veteran of SI Swimsuit. The cover was shot by legendary SI photographer Walter Iooss Jr.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100209/NY51792 )

As cover model, Decker joins a legacy of supermodels who have adorned the cover of SI Swimsuit including Kathy Ireland, Cheryl Tiegs, Hiedi Klum, Elle MacPherson, Tyra Banks and Petra Nemcova. Many of these covers were shot by Iooss who, with the addition of this year, has eleven SI Swimsuit covers to his name.

Today also marks the multiplatform debut of the 2010 SI Swimsuit franchise. SI.com/Swimsuit features more than 1,400 photos and 100 videos of the models taken during shoots spanning six countries: Chile, Portugal, India, the Maldives, Canada and the United States. At SI.com/Swimsuit look for candid "off-the-clock" photos, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from a franchise that reached more than 66 million people last year.

"Our readers will enjoy the many surprises in the latest installment of this renowned franchise," said SI Group Editor Terry McDonell. "This year's Swimsuit issue features both familiar faces and exciting newcomers and photography that fans have come to expect, transporting them to a new array of exotic locations."

Decker made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2006. Thanks to her all-American looks she earned a recurring spot in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 issues where she was shot in Tucson, Israel and Canouan Island in the Grenadines, respectively. In the 2010 cover photo Decker's bathing suit was made by Italian designer Delfina Swimwear; her necklaces were made by Lana Jewelry and Camilla Dietz Bergeron; her ring is an Isaac Prado creation; Sara Weinstock made the solid gold bangles featuring eight diamond bezels; Sydney Evan provided the beaded bracelets; and Helen Ficalora produced the diamond stacking rings.

2009 cover model Bar Refaeli--along with Julie Henderson, Esti Ginzburg, Jessica Gomes, Hilary Rhoda, Damaris Lewis, Jessica White, Cintia Dicker, Irina Shayk, Anne V and Daniella Sarahyba--are also familiar faces who return for the 2010 SI Swimsuit issue. Along with six rookies, they journeyed to half a dozen countries for shoots from a wide range of settings, from the low-lying beauty of the beaches in the Maldives to the world's highest desert in Chile and the snow-covered slopes of Whistler, Canada. The bustling streets of Lisbon, Portugal; WWII era planes from the Palm Springs Air Museum; and India's colorful landscape served as additional backdrops for this year's models.

The 2010 Swimsuit issue also features big names from the world of sports and television. U.S. Olympic skiers and snowboarders--including gold medal favorites Lindsey Vonn and Hannah Teter--donned bikinis on the slopes of Whistler, where they'll compete for Olympic glory starting later this week. In addition, dancers from ABC's hit series "Dancing with the Stars," were photographed with athletes who've competed on the show; wives and girlfriends (WAGS) of World Cup athletes were bodypainted in bikini bottoms and their significant other's jersey; and tennis star Ana Ivanovic wore a bikini amid bed of pink tennis balls.

INSIDE THE 2010 SWIMSUIT ISSUE

THE ROOKIES: Meet the new faces in the SI Swimsuit family: Christine Teigen, Dominique Piek, Genevieve Morton, Julie Ordon, Zoe Duchesne and Sonia Dara.

TREASURE ISLANDS: Brooklyn Decker, Bar Refaeli, Christine Teigen and Dominique Piek bring their beauty to the beaches of The Maldives.

BEST IN SNOW: Olympic beauties on the slopes of Whistler, Canada home to the 2010 skiing and snowboarding competitions with the amazing athletic appeal of America's best woman skier ever, Lindsey Vonn, who is joined by reigning Olympic champion snowboarder Hannah Teter, aerial skier Lacy Schnoor and US snowboarder Clair Bidez.

SIZZLE IN THE SAND: Irina Shayk, Julie Henderson, Daniella Sarahyba and Zoe Duchesne make braving the world's highest desert look like just another day at the beach.

BODY PAINTING: Wives and girlfriends, WAGS, of the world's best soccer players get ready for the World Cup by showing their support for their men in painted replica jerseys and painted bikini bottoms. Abbey Clancy, fiancee of English Striker Peter Crouch; Melissa Satta, girlfriend of Ex-Italian Striker Christian Vieri; Bethany Dempsey, wife of U.S. Midfielder Clint Dempsey; and Sarah Brandner, girlfriend of German Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger appear in the issue.

GRAPE FUN IN LISBON: The classic European beauty and wineries of Lisbon, Portugal provide the vibrant backdrop for Anne V, Cintia Dicker, Jessica White and Jessica Gomes.

DANCING WITH THE STARS: ABC's dancing beauties Cheryl Burke, Chelsie Hightower, Edyta Sliwinska and Anna Trebunskaya show athletes Maurice Greene, Ty Murray, Lawrence Taylor and Chuck Lidell their moves.

INDIA'S WILD LIFE: In India Esti Ginzburg, Hilary Rhoda, Julie Ordon and Sonia Dara discover that the country's ubiquitous animals are friendly and the people are even friendlier.

SO-FLY ZONE: The WWII era planes and breathtaking views of the Palm Springs Air Museum provided backdrop for Damaris Lewis and Genevieve Morton.

          2010 SI SWIMSUIT MODELS                  2010 PHOTOGRAPHERS
                 Sonia Dara                        Marlena Bielinska
              Brooklyn Decker                         Walter Chin
               Cintia Dicker                           Steve Erle
                Zoe Duchesne                        Walter Iooss Jr.
               Esti Ginzburg                        Raphael Mazzucco
               Jessica Gomes                         Warwick Saint
              Julie Henderson                       Stewart Shining
               Damaris Lewis                        Riccardo Tinelli
              Genevieve Morton                          Yu Tsai
                Julie Ordon
               Dominique Piek
                Bar Refaeli
                Hilary Rhoda
             Daniella Sarahyba
                Irina Shayk
              Christine Teigen
               Jessica White
                   Anne V

About Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

SI Swimsuit (www.SI.com/Swimsuit) is a premier, multiplatform media franchise that reaches more than 66 million people - 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. SI Swimsuit debuted as a single weekly issue in 1964 and has evolved to include a powerful digital engine, an event marketing division, mobile platforms, video gaming and an array of consumer products including DVDs, calendars, books and Apps. Since its launch, the franchise has generated more than $1 billion in revenue for Time Inc. SI Swimsuit is also credited with launching the careers of Kathy Ireland, Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Cheryl Tiegs, and Carol Alt who are today very successful business and media entrepreneurs. The magazine is one of the top newsstand sellers in the industry -- averaging more than 1MM at newsstand -- in addition to the 3.2MM SI subscribers who read the issue. SI.com/Swimsuit generated nearly 8MM UVs (during its launch period in 2009); more than 268MM page views and more than 34MM video views.

SOURCE Sports Illustrated