Kate Upton is Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue's cover girl for second year in a row

The cover of the Sports Illustrated 2013 Swimsuit Edition featuring Kate Upton.

/ Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Look out all you swimsuit fans, it's that time of the year again.

The annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue is here, with Kate Upton gracing the cover for a second consecutive year.

It's Upton's third appearance in the swimsuit issue. She was chosen as the issue's "Rookie of the Year" in 2011, when Irina Shayk was on the cover.

For the first time, the fashion shoot covers the entire world, with 17 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models journeying to all seven continents. Photo sites include African dunes and Asian cliffs.

But for Upton, there's lots of ice. She is warming things up in Antarctica, where the cover shot displays her clad only in a white, fur-lined parka and bikini bottom.

Out of a dozen or so photos in which she appears, the cover shot "is the most clothes I'm wearing in the whole issue," Upton said in a phone interview Monday. "It was a sort of I-love-you from the editor: 'I'll let you wear a coat for this one.'"

16 Photos

Kate Upton

The shoot spanned ten days in December, which is Antarctica's "summer." Some of the photos, including the cover, were shot from the base ship, which also carried the team from one icy land shooting site to another.

15 Photos

SI Swimsuit cover girls

When she returned to her home in Florida, Upton said she was "very, very sick. I don't think you can go to Antarctica and stand in a bikini without that happening. But I didn't die, and I'm OK now."

Very OK, after hearing only on Friday that she was the editors' choice for the cover.

Despite the challenges of the assignment, Upton said it would likely remain her most thrilling ever, and called Antarctica "the most beautiful place I've ever been."

But for anyone else who wants to experience that magical place, she offered this bit of advice, "You are definitely recommended to keep your clothes on."

The 2013 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue - marking the 50th anniversary of the magazine's yearly swimsuit issues - is now out on newsstands.

The 20-year-old Upton's latest Swimsuit cover officially debuted Monday night on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman," with 10 of the models presenting the Top Ten List. Watch the video below:

[HowItReallyIs]

First off fake boobs, plastic surgeons have even said so. Second I don't care about those people who think we should be baby and kiss up to those "curvy" girls. Kate is fat. Look at her UNEDITED pictures. She is so chunky! Girls should of course not feel compelled to be stick skinny with no fat, but for heaven's sake this should not be girls role models! This just proves how alive obesity is in our country, that people get so offended when it is pointed out that girls like Kate are fat. Which they are. Our standard for beauty should be healthy, fit, inshape girls that exercise and eat healthier (not only bird seed) but not just crap all like most. I see how people think her "curves" are so sexy but really it is just fat held into a swimsuit (hence the droopiness). Americans get over your insecurites and face the truth that yes Kate is fat and stop bashing the "horrble" skinny girls that actually maintain a healthy happy lifestyle.

[werntrouble]

Major boobs.. Can they be real? Anyway, definitely a breath-stopping female for us neanderthals who like to see women who aren't waifs.

[saynotofakeboobies]

Hey HOWIEDUDE, no jealousy here....feel sorry for women who have to undress to get attention. As she gets older, she will regret her exposure and that her fame was not based on a true talent or skill that she has actually worked toward. It will be difficult to shed that bimbo image that she has created. Hurray to DBOOBER8, you're my kind of guy, and no I'm not a feminist in the true sense. Just a woman who is comfortable in her own skin, and confident in my abilities. And yes, SI should highlight those lovely athletes who have trained tirelessly, and know what true sweat and determination are all about. No, Kate Upton is no role model for the young women of today............please, girls, aspire to be someone who really matters - the best teacher, doctor, engineer, therapist, mother, athlete that you can be. There are many, many examples out there.........forego the tweets, texts, and Kartrashian reality shows...........and make a positive difference in this world.

[HOWIEDUDE]

Kate Upton is as close to perfection as you will ever see. She isn't some skinny anorexic model, but a healthy beautiful woman.
The bashing posts are by jealous women.
If I was 35 years younger she'd be my girlfriend.
Call me Kate if you dig older, balding, fat Jewish guys. I am here for you.

[bobnjersey]

[The 20-year-old Upton's latest Swimsuit cover officially debuted Monday night on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman," with 10 of the models presenting the Top Ten List]
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there were at least three others amongst the top 10 that were as beautiful or more so than kate upton.

maybe kate is providing some other value to the si cover decision makers.

[saynotofakeboobies]

Moo!!!What happened to natural looking women that are actually proportioned. If hers are natural, breast reduction surgery is an option. I know because I had it done 30 years ago, and I've never regretted my decision. As 5'5', and a size 4, I DID feel like a cow, and having men oggle at you constantly was not FLATTERING at all. Hurray for well-balanced men who enjoy natural women,i.e., no silicone, botox, facelifts,etc. Come on, girls, get in shape, eat healthy, show your inner beauty and confidence - you will have a glow about you! I'm 60, and have been told I look like I'm in my 40's - nothing fake. Don't be swayed by the media to alter yourself - listen to your inner voice and just be your glorious self!!

[MBVWire]

Wow...you start your comment by mooing at a 20-year-old, then attempt to finish it with some sort of half-baked "Women, love yourselves as you are" statement. So I guess women should "listen to their inner voices and be their glorious selves" as long as they don't have large breasts - if they are so afflicted, then they are some sort of shameful bovine abomination who should seriously consider body altering surgery to bring themselves more in line with your own superlative example. That's really affirming their right to be their glorious selves.

[saynotofakeboobies]

Moo!!!What happened to natural looking women that are actually proportioned. If hers are natural, breast reduction surgery is an option. I know because I had it done 30 years ago, and I've never regretted my decision. As 5'5', and a size 4, I DID feel like a cow, and having men oggle at you constantly was not FLATTERING at all. Hurray for well-balanced men who enjoy natural women,i.e., no silicone, botox, facelifts,etc. Come on, girls, get in shape, eat healthy, show your inner beauty and confidence - you will have a glow about you! I'm 60, and have been told I look like I'm in my 40's - nothing fake. Don't be swayed by the media to alter yourself - listen to your inner voice and just be your glorious self!!

[bdoober8]

A bit of a sermon there mate, but I totally agree with you. Fake boobs are a major turn-off. One gets the feeling that women who get them are not just out to get men to ogle them; men will do that anyway, it's the nature of us beasts. There are power issues involved; big knockers open doors. No no no to silicone sisters, fake boobs should be banned from the SI Swimsuit issue. Although, it's nice to see at least one actual female athlete in there for a change. There are many lovely athletic women out there - Caroline Wozniaki, Ana Ivanovic, just off the top of my head. This is Sports Illustrated. Feminists will whine no matter who you use as models, but using athletes would give the swimsuit issue more legitimacy for a sports mag.

[oldoc44]

This gal is truly FINE!! Glad she got the cover again. At least a role model for many teens and others that think emaciated is cool... she's just right!

[HobartSchmenge]

God bless her ample heart.