Penticton woman competing in Maxim covergirl contest

PENTICTON – Penticton’s Brandi Hansen would be the first to admit she's more of an outdoorsy person than a magazine model. Hansen is working her way up the rankings in a competition for the cover of Maxim magazine.

A few weeks ago, Hansen read about the competition on social media, and on a lark, entered a couple of photos. She’s since made it through the first round — in first place in her group — and is close to a move in to the finals where a $10,000 prize awaits.

She's never aspired to be a model and in fact forgot she had entered the contest until she received an email from Maxim saying her photos had been accepted. The photos she submitted weren’t typical modelling shots.

“I was mostly raised by my father, and grew up basically outdoors. The photos were all related to those activities,” she said. “I was surprised to find myself in the competition.

Hansen said it’s her intention to shift the emphasis away from the "superficial beauty thing."

“I’d like to be seen more as a role model than a centrefold” she said. “It’s been an interesting journey so far.”

Hansen has asked Maxim for the creative freedom to do a retro-style pinup shoot — similar to the style popular during the Second World War — using vintage aircraft as a backdrop.

She's currently taking lessons to be a pilot with the aim of a career in aviation, and is halfway through her training with BP Aviation at Penticton Regional Airport.

If she wins the Maxim grand prize of $10,000, she plans to create four $2,000 scholarships to assist women looking at a career in aviation. It will be called the Higher, Further, Faster Aviation Scholarship.

“I want to inspire women to fly, “ she said.

The remainder of the prize money will go to another of Hansen’s passions, Central Okanagan Search and Rescue.

“I’ve been a search and rescue tech for a decade.”

There is just a day left in the latest round of voting. Should Hansen prevail in this round, she’ll move on to the final and compete against 30 others for the top spot.

You can vote for Hansen here.

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