Bianca Balti Nabs Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s Rookie of the Year

Congrats to Bianca Balti for winning Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue’s rookie of the year. She shares an interesting fact with ex-MLB player, Kazuhiro Sasaki, in that both won rookie of the year awards at 32.

Kate Upton got the main prize with three separate covers this year. As for Balti, I’ve never heard of her. Did she come to this game late? Google says she’s been around for a decade. Balti’s been in ads for Dolce & Gabbana, L’Oreal Paris, and others.

Thirty two, though, is a bit older than all these 18-year-old models. She even acknowledges the age thing.

“I also just think it’s so hilarious that at 32, I’m a Rookie …[but] we’re definitely seeing more changes in the fashion world. For example, plus sizes are being more than welcomed … And you still see supermodels who are working and they’re 30-35. It’s a good message. I still have to say though, that most girls on the runway are very, very young. But things are definitely changing in fashion and it’s amazing.”

Huh, right. Well, let’s follow the Leo DiCaprio rule and keep this to 25 and under.

She also has two kids.

Balti definitely doesn’t have any problem with nudity. She’s posed nude before for Playboy (NSFW link here) and is cool with her 9-year-old daughter Matilde looking at them. Yea, you and me both, Matilde.

“She’s already seen some of my naked pictures. I have no problem showing her nudity is totally fine…But the message she gets from these photos is that mommy works hard to give her the things she wants. I want to show them that they can do whatever they want.”

SI‘s good at driving content because they made up this award recently didn’t they? For 2017’s contenders, they had Kelly Gale, Lais Ribeiro, Myla Dalbesio, Vita Sidorkina, Danielle Herrington, Bianca Balti and Mia Kang. Since all these women were in bikinis, I consider them all winners.