Tannia Rubiano wasn’t really into sports when she posed for the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in 1971. She was a University of Miami student and wasn’t all that athletic when posing on the beaches of Dominican Republic.
But that changed after she got married to a man who took part in windsurfing, sailing, skiing and rock climbing—and that changed the way she felt about her cover shot body. “God, I was so fat then,” she told SI. I weighed 10 pounds less, but I didn’t have any muscle tone.”
Tannia’s model career was short lived after this shot was taken by photographer Robert Huntzinger, but her sporty life was just beginning. She’s climbed mountains in Nepal, practices yoga, and dedicates herself to healthy living and aging gracefully.
