By winning Miss Romania-Earth, Popa earned the right to represent
Romania at
Miss Earth 2008. Ruxandra eventually became one of the favorites to win the
Miss Earth 2008 crown.[1][2]
In the final competition of the eighth edition of the international beauty pageant Miss Earth.[3] She ended as one of the top 16 semi-finalists of Miss Earth.[4][5][6][7] The Miss Earth pageant was held on November 9, 2008 at the
Clark Expo Amphitheater in
Angeles, Pampanga,
Philippines.[8][9] Eighty-five delegates arrived from October 19, 2008 in the
Philippines. The pageant was broadcast live via
ABS-CBN in the Philippines and to many countries worldwide via
Star World,
The Filipino Channel and other partner networks.[10]