'Moose-Sculpted' Beard Impresses At 2011 Beard and Moustache Championships

On Sunday May 15th, 160 men from all over the world came together in Trondheim, Norway with one simple mission - To impress the judges with their carefully coiffured full or partial bears and/ or moustaches.

Welcome to the 2011 World Beard and Moustache competition, a fun event where competitors can vie against each other in or more, of 14 facial hair categories that range from specialized one like 'Dali' style moustaches and Musketeer' partial beards to plain old 'Freestyle' full beards.

Now in its 10th year, the competition, which is held every two years began as a local event at a beard club in Höfen-Enz, Germany. Today, it is not only attended by beard aficionados from all over the world, but also, hosted by beard clubs in different countries.

Of the 15 countries represented, Beard Team USA sported the largest contingent of bearded competitors - Despite that, they failed to repeat their victory from two years ago, ending up with six just gold medals, one short of Germany's count of seven.

German hairdresser Elmar Weisser took home his third overall winner's trophy with his amazing beard, sculpted to resemble a moose, complete with antlers. In the previous years, he had sported Berlin's Brandenburg Gate and even London's Tower Bridge.

The biggest upset of the evening was in the Full Beard Natural category where Rooty Lundvall ousted two-time defending world champion, Jack Passion with his impressive white mane. Fortunately, fellow American Keith 'Gandhi' Jones, had nothing to worry about as he took home his third consecutive gold medal, in the 'Freestyle Moustache' category.

But as one competitor put it - The event is not about winning or losing, but just an excuse to see friends, have a good time and compare notes on beard and moustache growing strategies!

sources:npr.org,worldbeardchampioships.com,peninsulaclarion.com