Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Cover: Kate Upton Poses In Red Bikini (PHOTO)

After weeks of speculation, we've got our Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covergirl: Kate Upton!

Upton, a blonde Midwesterner, was a rumored favorite for the cover, which has a history of launching swimsuit models to stardom (Brooklyn Decker, anyone?).

The cover shot, which has been leaked today but will officially debut this evening on "The Late Show with David Letterman," shows Upton in a barely-there string bikini, doing our favorite "armpit pose."

It's a huge score for the Michigan native, previously the face of Guess Lingerie and a covergirl for Cosmopolitan Bride. Upton only made her Sports Illustrated debut in 2011, but was named Rookie of the Year. The 19-year-old was rumored to be the favorite for 2012, as Page Six previously reported, favored for her "blond, all-American looks" (a clear shift from last year's cover girl, Russian beauty Irina Shayk).

She also is rumored to be dating New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, a nice coincidence given that this Swimsuit Issue will also feature athletes (in bodypaint, natch).

Lest you wait till tonight's Letterman episode to see Upton in all her swimsuit-clad glory, TMZ has rustled up a leaked photo. Check it out below and stay tuned for a clearer image... and the rest of the 2012 Swimsuit models!

UPDATE: Thanks to Luke Russert, we now know another fun fact about Ms. Upton: her uncle is Representative Fred Upton (R-Mich.), member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1986. All-American, indeed! Her family must be proud.

PHOTO:

Comments

[moionfire]

02:29 AM on 02/17/2012

Why did they make her look so orange and the background look so fake. SI is slipping.

[moionfire]

02:28 AM on 02/17/2012

She is pretty, but the photo, make up , hair and air brushing is horrific. It looks like it was done by an amateur. The picture also looks dated- as if it was taken in the late 80's or early 90's.

[lefty81]

09:08 PM on 02/15/2012

Why would they choose a girl with THAT face? Oh......you mean, they didn't choose her for her face?

[hairydodger]

07:46 AM on 02/16/2012

What face? Oooh, now I see her face.

[Jill1975]

08:29 PM on 02/15/2012

As the song goes , therse's nothing like the real thing. Her breasts hair and probably her nose are fake . in a few years , those silicon bags will be hard as rocks and fake ones just don't look good.

[indiscoot]

12:39 AM on 02/17/2012

you need glasses the girl looks good from any angle, we all wish we were that age again and could look that good sounds like some one might be a little on the i wish i did side.

[Jill1975]

10:02 PM on 02/17/2012

Your taste is defective and you could not get a job as a model scout.She is not a latter day Cindy Craford or paulina Poriskova or Christy Turlington . The current Victoria Secret models look amillion times bettere than her as do the women in vogue and the other fashion magazines.

[Jill1975]

10:05 PM on 02/17/2012

I neednt be jealous because my blond hair my chest and other body parts are real .

[OldCowboy]

01:55 PM on 02/15/2012

Having big, flaccid boobs squished by a too tight bikini top does not make for an attractive or sexy look.

[ColoradoCool]

05:01 PM on 02/16/2012

They're not exactly "perky" are they.

[Oonagh]

04:15 PM on 02/18/2012

It is obviously a long time since you have seen real ones...

[LisaO8]

08:51 AM on 02/15/2012

Why bother putting on a "bottom" at all? ha! Wow, that is about as skimpy as it gets...

[joyca]

12:34 AM on 02/15/2012

That cover is almost soft-porn. America, please, let's embrace more modesty.

[pthesmith]

12:02 AM on 02/15/2012

Bad bleach job. Does not match her complexion. She just doesn't look good.

[Edward Standley]

08:48 PM on 02/14/2012

I'm not seeing the resemblance.

[sethmois]

07:52 PM on 02/14/2012

Vote Jared Festner for Boulder Hill, Illinois City council Next Month

[Red45]

07:03 PM on 02/14/2012

Why in God's name would they pick a cover model with a boob job?

[Andres64]

07:08 PM on 02/14/2012

Those could be real.

[Red45]

07:11 PM on 02/14/2012

I don't think so. You can see the bag lines. Natural breasts don't have those lines.

[Jill1975]

08:31 PM on 02/15/2012

If you had ever seen any , you would know they don't consist of round things hanging down

[jreeves1425]

01:31 PM on 02/15/2012

fake ones don't sag

[Red45]

01:36 PM on 02/15/2012

Real ones don't have circular shadows around them. And sure they sag if they're big enough.

[NyJimbo]

03:37 PM on 02/14/2012

I'm liking everything about that photo. Especially digging the hips and the micro-kini bottom.

[jreeves1425]

02:05 PM on 02/14/2012

I think this is possibly THE worst cover of all time.

[Mjones2]

01:49 PM on 02/14/2012

Did she buy a bikini in 5th grade and figure, "I'm set for life?"

[Dede Eagleburger]

01:27 PM on 02/14/2012

I am so happy for Kate - she totally rocks!!

[bill45005]

06:36 AM on 04/06/2012

Dede I agree with you but wondering how you would look in that outfit , grin , but anyway I agree with you she is very hot regardless of what other'e think

[Dede Eagleburger]

07:31 AM on 04/06/2012

haha...well I don't know, there's not much 'outfit' there really...but I've been a fan of hers for a year or more now, she seems very down to earth, fun, happy, and willing to try anything...!