Kate Upton is the 2012 SI Swimsuit Issue Cover Girl

She's taking over the reins as the face of the wildly popular annual offering, as Kate Upton covers the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

The blonde beauty was spotted out in Times Square as the billboard featuring the front page shot made its grand debut in New York City on Monday (February 13).

While it wasn't supposed to be officially announced until later this evening, the cover saw a premature release online thanks to a leak spurned by a gas station in Michigan getting the issues early.

Miss Upton garners the title of SI's Swimsuit cover girl from last year's front page stunner Irina Shayk.

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/kate-upton/kate-upton-2012-si-swimsuit-issue-cover-girl-585093

Melissa George Veronica Kay Tila Tequila Marisa Miller Mena Suvari