Irina Shayk soaks up the sun on the beaches of Maui as the cover model for the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue out today, gracing the cover under the headline Paradise Found in Hawaii.  Shayk is the first Russian cover model and joins an elite group of Swimsuit models to grace the cover, one that includes Kathy Ireland, Christie Brinkley, Cheryl Tiegs, Heidi Klum, Elle MacPherson, Tyra Banks, Petra Nemcova, Marisa Miller and Brooklyn Decker.

Joining Shayk in this year’s issue is 2010 Swimsuit cover girl Brooklyn Decker, who is getting the Hollywood treatment on the set of her big-screen debut, Just Go With It, for her 6th appearance in the issue.  Other familiar faces include Cintia Dicker (3 appearances), Esti Ginzburg (3), Jessica Gomes (4), Julie Henderson (5), Damaris Lewis (3), Genevieve Morton (2), Hilary Rhoda (3), Chrissy Teigen (2), Anne V (7) and Jessica White (8). Newcomers Alyssa Miller, Izabel Goulart, Kate Upton, Kenza Fourati and Shannan Click comprise Swimsuit’s “Best Rookie Class Ever”.