Monterey resident Paul Chetirkin just may be America’s sexiest vegetarian.

Sexiest Soy Boy. The title alone isn’t all that sexy. In fact, it conjures up images of a flirty little playboy who spends more time in a mirror primping, flossing and pouting his lips at himself than he does pondering anything even remotely engaging, let alone intellectual or philanthropic. Hell, Soy Boy might not even be able to pronounce philanthropic. Or spell it.

And that’s about where the label runs aground and meets Paul Chetirkin, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal’s (PETA) 2005 finalist for Sexiest Vegetarian Alive. And, if he garners enough online votes by midnight eastern time March 11, he will in fact be crowned Sexiest Soy Boy.

But chiseled, dark-haired, brown-eyed Chetirkin is no pouting playboy. He’s a rock solid brainiac with a gifted soul of compassion and a humble heart of gold who just also happens to be, well, drop-dead gorgeous. Oh, and a vegetarian.

Out of 450 contestants nationwide, a panel of six PETA judges narrowed the field to five women and five men, including 34-year-old Monterey resident Chetirkin.

“Paul is an excellent example of what a sexy vegetarian is. We’re lighter, have more energy, and we think he’s additionally sexy because he’s a tremendously dedicated triathlete who has taken his compassion to the next level by being an animal advocate,” said PETA spokesperson Bruce Friedrich.

It’s all second nature to Chetirkin, who’s taking the distinction of being a finalist in stride. “That I even entered was out of character. It’s not my style. I try to lead by example, not with a title. But if this gets the word out, I’m happy to do anything in terms of animal rights,” he says.

Chetirkin wasn’t always animal-cruelty free. “Honestly, I was a punk as a kid,” he says. “I didn’t do well in school. I was just living for me, being selfish, preoccupied with where my next beer was coming from.”

It might have been that selfishness that landed him where he is today.

“I was 18, skipping school,” he says. “I was tired of learning what other people thought I should, so I went looking myself. I spent so much time hanging out in the library, I was down to the vertical files. My plan was to go through them alphabetically. And there in the A’s was animal rights, and three magazines from PETA.”

And that’s when the 18-year-old self-described punk found his cause. “It validated me, gave me something to feel passionate about,” he says. “It had an immediate effect, taking all of that animal-based food full of chemistry out of my system. It was a huge boost.”

That was 16 years ago. He’s been living a vegan lifestyle ever since. And he’s not exactly that punk looking for the next beer anymore, either.

Chetirkin earned his Bachelor’s Degree in History and Russian Studies from University of Central Florida, then earned a Master’s in International Environmental Policy from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Today, Chetirkin works at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, working on a management plan that will govern the use of the sanctuary and sanctuary resources.

In his spare time, Chetirkin is busy shattering the vegetarian stereotype of someone who’s less agile, the weaker being in the food chain. He’s anything but. He’s an accomplished athlete, into adventure racing—spending weeks in remote jungles kayaking, biking, climbing, jungle trekking. For fun.

Most notably, in 2002, he compiled a small team of fellow vegans to compete in Mark Burnett’s (of Survivor fame) Eco-Challenge, a myriad of treacherous expeditions over a 500km Fiji course dubbed “The ultimate test of man against nature.” They lasted a grueling five days, 21 hours, and 48 minutes.

The team may not have finished, but it wasn’t even close to the end of Chetirkin’s competition career. In October of last year, Chetirkin finished 6th in his age group, and 15th overall in his first Big Sur Trail Marathon, 26 miles straight up and down the steep dirt trails of the Old Coast Road.

“The marathons and what I do on a regular basis—kayaking in Elkhorn Slough or hiking in Point Lobos—I’m passionate about it,” he says. “This place is truly my Garden of Eden. And what I put into my body plays a big part in all of that. As a vegan, I think I havean advantage.”

Seems as though it’s the complete package for PETA, too. “The selection process was no easy task,” Friedrich said. “But Paul is someone who represents vegetarianism as a whole. That he’s good looking too, well, that’s justa plus.”

Chetirkin is a bit humbled by the “sexiest” part of the deal. “I don’t know what I think makes me sexy. Maybe it is my brain. To me, there’s so much more behind it than anything physical,” he says. “I don’t think I’m pretty at all.”

Sure, tell that to the ogling voters over at goveg.com who are no doubt casting their votes for his Master’s Degree and unclogged arteries. “I can handle that part,” he says, “because ultimately it’s all about the animal rights.”And with enough votes by midnight March 11th, the title of Sexiest Soy Boy.