It's bikini season for Sports Illustrated

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It's bikini season for Sports Illustrated

As Sports Illustrated releases the annual swimsuit edition, we take a look back at the covers.

The 2012 Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition features 19-year-old model Kate Upton wearing a very tiny red-and-brown, sparkle-covered string bikini.

From Russia with love: Irina Shayk scored the cover of the 2011 swimsuit edition.

In 2010, it was model Brooklyn Decker, who happens to be the wife of tennis player Andy Roddick.

The magazine chose the significant other of another famous man in 2009 when Bar Refaeli graced the cover. She and Leonardo DiCaprio have since broken up.

Everyone has a favorite cover, and the 2008 version that features supermodel Marisa Miller is sure to get more than a few votes.

The 2008 issue also features Atlanta Falcons cheerleader Jessica Trainham.

The first swimsuit edition, published Jan. 20, 1964, featured German-born Babette Beatty.

In 2007, the magazine broke away from its tradition of using supermodels on the cover and instead chose to go with a 'Dreamgirl': Beyonce.

Eight models graced the cover in 2006. They were Carolyn Murphy, Daniela Pestova, Elle Macpherson, Elsa Benitez, Rachel Hunter, Rebecca Romijn, Veronica Varekova and Yamila Diaz-Rahi.

The cover belonged to Carolyn Murphy in 2005. And SI came up with a new concept for the issue: model trading cards!

Veronica Varekova went topless for the 2004 issue, not that you could see anything.

Since the regular swimsuit edition is so popular, those crazy SI editors thought they would appeal to the ladies by putting former Giants cornerback Jason Sehorn in swim trunks on the May-June 2001 cover of Sports Illustrated for Women.

It was all Tyra Banks in 1997, when she reminded the world of the appeal of the itsy, bitsy, teeney, weeny polka-dot bikini.

Valeria Mazza and Tyra danced on a South African beach for the 1996 cover.

The 2012 Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition features 19-year-old model Kate Upton wearing a very tiny red-and-brown, sparkle-covered string bikini.

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The 2012 Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition features 19-year-old model Kate Upton wearing a very tiny red-and-brown, sparkle-covered string bikini.

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