Kate Upton Nabs Second Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover According to Leaked Pic

Kate Upton is the beautiful model America just can't get enough of, because she is once again the cover girl for the 2013 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, according to a freshly leaked photo. 

Fashion Copious (h/t Big Lead) just made millions of fans very happy, hoping this year's swimsuit edition would be just as good as last. 

Update: Friday, February 8, 7:05 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated has officially delivered the image of their cover, and it is indeed a beautiful one. Here is Kate Upton in her second-consecutive cover, via Hot Clicks. 

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

---End of Update: 

Here is a picture the website posted, and Upton, 20, is most definitely the woman splashed all over the cover of SI's most popular issue of the year. 

Photo Credit: Fashion Copious

There is always some conjecture leading up to the cover announcement, this year was no different, with reports hinting the top spot could go to such names as Nina Agdal or Katherine Webb. 

Webb will still be a part of the swimsuit issue, which seems to have taken an exotic if not colder locale than they are used to, but according to the leaked photo, she will not adorn the coveted prize. 

While 2013 began in the sole possession of A.J. McCarron's girlfriend, Kate Upton is back to remind us why she dominated pop culture the entirety of last year. 

By comparison, here is the lovely cover from last year, showing a woman who was very much on the rise. 

Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports

Now we have an Upton who has solidified herself as a tremendous star, and no doubt, the correct choice to spark sales of the upcoming issue. 

I am sure this was a short meeting when editors sat around discussing possible cover girls. 

Editor 1: Sooo, Kate Upton?

Editor 2: Kate Upton. 

Editor 1: Let's get lunch. 

Upton is hardly the first model to go back-to-back; Carolyn Murphy doing the same in 2005 and 2006. Tyra Banks, Rachel Hunter and Rebecca Romijn have also carried two covers. 

In all, 11 other models besides Upton have been double features on SI's cover.

Upton does have some work to do if she wants to grace the vaunted spot more than Elle Macpherson, because the Australian model had the look which saw her take the cover five times. 

If you'd like to reexamine every SI Swimsuit cover pic since the edition's inception back in 1964, check out the SI vault.

Our very own Timothy Rapp reported the release date will be February 12. 

From there, it's back to the set of Late Show with David Letterman, which should be comfortable for Upton, who was announcing this very same news a year ago.

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