World Beard and Moustache Championships
The United States is the world’s new facial hair super power, having captured twelve world championship titles out of eighteen categories plus overall at the World Beard and Moustache Championships in Anchorage, Alaska on May 23, 2009. Possessing home field advantage, the USA was able to dethrone Germany which had dominated this competition since its inception.
Hometown favorite and Beard Team USA member David Traver was crowned overall champ, having styled his beard to resemble an Alaska snowshoe which earned him top honors in the freestle full beard category. Meanwhile Germany’s Karl-Heinz Hille’s elaborate moustache earned him second. San Franciscan Jack Passion placed third with his long, red natural beard.
Nearly 300 competitors from 15 separate countries competed. All of the winners received engraved Alaska gold pans as trophies.
Germany came in second taking first-place honors in five categories. Other countries represented on the podium were England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, and newcomer Canada.
The big winner was also the vice-president of the host organization, the South Central Alaska Beard and Moustache Club, which pulled out all of the stops to make to make the WBMC 2009 the biggest and best ever.
THE WINNERS!
David Traver
Anchorage, Alaska
Jack Passion
San Francisco, California
Karl-Heinz Hille
Berlin, Germany
