Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012: Kate Upton Is Cover Girl

Kate Upton was introduced as the cover model for the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue during CBS' The Late Show with David Letterman in New York City Monday night.

View the cover here or after the jump.

Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

SI also unveiled a billboard of Upton and her cover in Manhattan across from the Ed Sullivan Theatre. Upton and 9 other models presented "Top Ten Reasons This Year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Is the Best One Ever" during the show.

Those other models include Julie Henderson, Jessica Gomes, Ariel Meredith, Alyssa Miller, Chrissy Teigen, Genevieve Morton, Izabel Goulart, Jessica Perez and last-year's cover model Irina Shayk.

Not present but included in the issue is Alex Morgan, who posed while covered in paint.

Photograph by Stewart Shining

The 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue features 18 models and 6 athletes and is estimated to be read by 70 million adults or one in every three American adults.

Interesting in finding out where to get some of the swimsuits featured? Here in Seattle you can visit Heidi Fish at 4519 California Ave SW.

See more of Kate Upton and Alex Morgan at SI Swimsuit 2012.