New Miss America Betty Cantrell due for surf frolic

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The new Miss America will take the traditional morning-after romp through the Atlantic City surf Monday morning.

Miss Georgia Betty Cantrell won the title on Sunday night.

Cantrell rode an opera performance from “Madame Butterfly” to the 2016 title in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, besting 51 other competitors in the nationally televised pageant. She won a preliminary competition earlier in the week, also with an opera performance.

The pageant marked the return of Vanessa Williams, who was back for the first time after resigning the crown in 1984 following a nude photo scandal.

Pageant Executive Chairman Sam Haskell apologized on behalf of the pageant to Williams, who served as head judge.