DALLAS, Jul 9, 2003/ FW/ --- It was exciting until the end. UPN's dramality series, 'America's Next Top Model' kept the audience hanging till the last minute.

Last week's episode, with Robin being eliminated, three girls were left - Adrianne, Elyse, and Shannon.

Elyse did not make the cut though for the final round - walking the catwalk for Baby Phat during the Fall 2003 New York fashion season. Reason cited by the judges - Elyse is very intelligent, which can be intimidating at times. In short, her intelligence is a double-edged sword.

So, it was between 'all-American virgin' Shannon and 'rock & roll' tomboy Adrianne.

Both girls are quite beautiful. And as the judges put it, 'Shannon has morphed into a model' while Adrianne is a Cinderalla, rough around the edges who bloomed during the competition.

The final test was catwalking with all the top models during the Baby Phat runway show. Carmen Kass, Alek Wek and Ohmayra were there - all highly paid catwalkers who have graced the international fashion scene runways - New York, London, Milan and Paris.

After seeing Adrianne and Shannon on the runway, it was really hard to predict who will win.

Shannon could have easily been top model Karolina Kourkova, Karl Lagerfeld's favorite model. It was easy to imagine Shannon in Paris in the upcoming pret-a-porter season in Paris.

Adrianne was edgy on the runway, someone who can grace John Galliano's or Versace's runway show.

But in the end, only one girl can win, and it was 20-year old Adrianne Curry from Joliet, IL.

With brown hair and green eyes, standing at 5' 10 1/2" and weighing 123 lbs., Adrianne can give Ohmayra a run for her money.

As a winner, Adrianne is guaranteed a contract with Wilhelmina and Revlon, plus a photo spread at Marie Claire.

Shannon though she came out second is also a winner. It will not be surprising if she gets picked up by an agency in New York and be casted for the upcoming New York Fashion Week this September.

In fact, the last four girls which include Robin and Elyse can easily be casted for the upcoming ready-to-wear fashion season.

As a plus-size model, Robin can easily be at Lane Bryant and of course Elyse can walk the runway for anyone of the New York's designers.

For eight weeks, 'America's Top Model' showed the transformation of ordinary girls to become a top model. But all good things come to an end. And this season is over.

Luckily, UPN has picked up the second round of 'America's Next Top Model.' So, as we say it in the fashion biz, 'See you next season.'