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"beard"

History speaks for itself. Having a beard has traditionally been a large part of the male identity. For several centuries, the hairy face decoration has been a big part of the fashion image and the more classic way of sporting a beard has been a part of the male uniform; think of the Musketeers, the Hungarian hussars and the British army, just to name a few. And today, growing a beard has become widely accepted in both politics and in the business world. In October, the sixth official World Cup in Beard was held in Leogang, Austria. 350 participants from 22 different countries competed in 18 different categories. What previously may have been a competition solely for old and eccentric characters has without doubt evolved over time. The average age of the participants is declining and the competition is clearly marked by a budding youth with a strong desire to grow a beard. Many of the participants have a mission and a purpose with their beards, such as to use it for charity or to increase the general acceptance of having a beard.

Ivan Aleksandrov, 32, Russia

Category: Natural full beard Garibaldi

”I started growing my beard for a strange reason. It actually started on a long vacation when I was too lazy to shave. After the vacation I decided to shave it all tight except the moustache. Later, all my friends told me that I looked very weird and gave me the advice to grow a full beard. I took the advice, and now I can say that I´m following my beard around the world. It takes me to the strangest places. I meet the must interesting people when I visit this beards clubs all around the world.”