Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2012: Kate Upton, Bar Refaeli Appear In SI Issue (PHOTOS)

For anyone overly upset that Punxsutawney Phil recently predicted six more weeks of winter, let us offer five very welcome -- and very lovely -- signs that summer will be here before you can say "body paint."

Arguably among our most reliable heralds of rising temperatures, Sports Illustrated's annual Swimsuit Issue has arrived. Packed with photos of 18 of the world's most beautiful models, as well as cameos by various athletes, Swimsuit 2012 is arriving on newsstands, in your mailbox and on just about every mobile device that you could possibly use to appreciate the fine work of distinguished photographers like Walter Iooss Jr. -- or, perhaps, just to appreciate Iooss' photographs of Kate Upton.

Along with Swimsuit 2012 cover girl Kate Upton, Bar Refaeli returns to SI in 2012. The Israeli beauty graces a feature dubbed "Bar & the Boys" that includes photographs of her with U.S. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Michael Phelps, Lob City point guard Chris Paul and tennis superstar Rafael Nadal.

Three notable female athletes appear in the increasingly popular Body Paint feature. The 2012 group of painted ladies includes U.S. soccer player Alex Morgan, U.S. Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin and golfer Natalie Gulbis.

Without further ado, please enjoy a sneak peek at some of the images from Swimsuit 2012, including the captivating cover:

Comments

[AllegroTroppo]

07:42 PM on 02/17/2012

How did they manage Irina Shayk to look this unattractive?!
Rafaeli looks the best

[rodeman]

02:14 PM on 02/17/2012

Any chance Walter looss Jr is considering retirement? I'd like his job.

[TooKrunk]

04:10 PM on 02/16/2012

I dated a girl that looked like Kate Upton before. She dumped me in her driveway after we drove 6 hours from a wedding. She was terribly attractive.

[henrypapillon]

12:59 AM on 02/16/2012

Good thing she shaved close.

[GrackleFarm]

08:59 PM on 02/16/2012

What difference would that make with all the photo-shopping going on? Their bodies look like they're made of silly putty.

[henrypapillon]

12:24 AM on 02/17/2012

Close. I worked for a large silicone manufacture. Silly Putty was an accident while trying to make another silicone product. So yeah, you don't know how close you were to being right.

[George Picard]

10:48 PM on 02/16/2012

They wax actually.

[henrypapillon]

12:22 AM on 02/17/2012

Yeah, probably. It looked pretty shiny.

[simpleperson]

09:32 AM on 02/19/2012

Turtle Wax?

[henrypapillon]

12:57 AM on 02/16/2012

Her uncle is Representative Fred Upton, Republican , Kalamazoo, Michigan. His grandfather and her great-grandfather was a co-founder of Whirlpool Corp. Money talks.

[passingthought]

11:03 PM on 02/15/2012

You know this a comical discussion about men and women in a magazine when you are sitting here on the internet! You can look at a variety of what ever you want even better models both male and female naked! at the touch of a mouse.

[passingthought]

10:25 PM on 02/15/2012

No matter who,what she wore somebody would complain!

[SamiSam]

06:11 PM on 02/15/2012

This is the first cover in recent memory that I had a "meh" reaction. The pose is too posed, the angle is weird, and the bikini is blah. I know they're thinking they are pushing it because the bottoms are soo tiny, but it's not impressive. Some of the pics they have in the slide show are better.

[thejadedentrepreneur]

10:05 AM on 02/16/2012

Seeing is that you're not their demographic by virtue of having a vagina, I doubt they care what your reaction is.

[vanalmen]

05:15 PM on 02/15/2012

Pretty girl!

[LDM123]

03:47 PM on 02/15/2012

Why even wear bottoms Kate?

[paddles]

08:04 AM on 02/15/2012

First of all-it should be female athletes posing in bathing suits (it is a "sports" magazine) and secondly-they should also include MALE athletes in bathing suits. A lot of women read this magazine (myself for over 40 years) and this is kind of sexist in that it assumes no women like sports.

[DakotaLV]

09:19 AM on 02/15/2012

89% of subrcriptions of men...case closed

[paddles]

09:21 AM on 02/15/2012

People do buy the magazine in stores too-case opened.

[George Picard]

02:36 PM on 02/15/2012

You should fund a swimsuit issue full of guys, see how well it sells.

[paddles]

02:52 PM on 02/15/2012

Where did I SAY that it should be full of men-I SAID BOTH sexes. You men sure have a lot of issues.

[PowerPridePinstripes]

07:42 AM on 02/15/2012

Um, suggest HufPo remove this from the sports section and start a fluff section... I want to read about sports not see T&A... NOT everyone who loves sports wants to see this.

[MrClean]

07:50 AM on 02/15/2012

Speak for yourself...I LOVE this sports coverage!

[George Picard]

02:36 PM on 02/15/2012

Yes we do.

[Dan Slander]

07:24 AM on 02/15/2012

She's thick through the middle and the pose only enhances that fact. What were they thinking?

[1oldhippie]

11:55 PM on 02/14/2012

I'm sorry S I but the cover shot is horrible! Of course the the bikini strings looking like bailing twine don't help! BUT Kate doesn't wear the top well and the bottom looks like it's wearing her!

[revr]

05:52 AM on 02/15/2012

Yuk! Yuk! Yuk! Harhahaha!

[Lisa1129]

09:37 PM on 02/14/2012

When are they going to put guys on the cover of sports illustrated
i`ll buy a dozen issues.

[paddles]

08:43 AM on 02/15/2012

I've said the exact thing so many times. At least when ESPN mag has their "body" issue they feature both male and female ATHLETES-not models who would never play a sport because they might break a nail.

[thejadedentrepreneur]

10:07 AM on 02/16/2012

This magazine is not for you. You want male models will stupid bios and make up quotes, pick up any issue of Cosmo.