Local woman makes top five in Victoria's Secret competition; next round of voting starts

Ali Turner likes to wear jeans and T-shirts while working and riding horses in Cape Girardeau, but the 5 foot 11 former runway model has been donning sexier outfits during the Victoria's Secret Angel Boot Camp model competition.

Turner, who goes by Allison in the competition, recently advanced to the top five in the contest, which started with 10 women chosen from across America. Turner auditioned in Chicago in October and received word shortly after that she had earned a spot.

The contest has filmed webisodes of the women for viewers to watch and determine their favorite potential Angel. The newest videos of the five women in the second challenge will be on vsallaccess.com, and the next round of voting will begin at 2 p.m. today. The first task the 10 women had to perform was a photo shoot in Grand Central Station.

"There were people standing around everywhere and we were in our underwear," Turner said. "I haven't modeled a whole lot of lingerie stuff. I was nervous about that."

As her days in New York have drawn on, Turner said she has gotten more and more excited, especially since she made the top five. When the women got the news, they were standing in two groups of five. Turner's five were told they would proceed in the competition.

"A few of my really good buddies that I had made were standing on the other side," Turner said. "I was so, so excited. I couldn't believe it. It was sad at the same time."

According to Turner's mother, Patty Turner, that shocked excitement runs in the family.

"We are all amazed that it got as far as it has. It happened so fast that we're all kind of stunned," she said. "One minute we were driving up there and she was going 'Mom, do you think I'll get in the door?' and now she's in the top five."

Patty said Ali's sisters have spread the word to help as well. Amy, 35, lives in St. Louis and works as a computer programmer for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and Sarah, 32, works for the US Army Corp of Engineers San Francisco district.

Ali said just being accepted into the competition has been a blessing and that the five women who were sent home have received calls from New York agencies. She said the exposure she's gotten so far will help her catwalk back into big time modeling, but she still wants to win.

"I do want to make it all the way to the end," she said. "I'm really hoping and praying for that."

Being homeschooled during her high school modeling career has helped Turner adjust to being away from home, but "I miss my boyfriend and my family and all my horses definitely," she said.

"It's definitely worth it," she said. "But I'll come back home and I'll get back to riding. You just gotta do the best you can, and that's all you can do."

charris@semissourian.com

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