INTERNATIONAL: Moustaches and beards in all shapes and sizes were on show in southern Bavaria this weekend for the annual Beard Olympics and the German Beard Championships. Over 100 contestants had waxed, sprayed and hair-dried to compete with each other in categories such as "Moustache Dali", "Whiskers Freestyle" or "Full Beard Natural with styled upper lip".

The Beard Olympics is open to participants from around the world, whereas the German Championship is for German citizens or beard wearers who are members of a German beard club only. Ralf Schulz, the winner in the "Moustache Imperial" category, is not surprisingly a regular contestant:

"I've been wearing my moustache for seven years now, I've taken part in several championships. And now, for the first time, I have managed to win first place in a German championship. I have already won first place in Southern Germany and otherwise I was always runner-up and that makes me very happy today to finally have won first place."

His rival Karl Moosberger wasn't so lucky:

“My hair is not so good for such a super beard, because mine doesn't grow that fast. There are beards that grow much better and then you can shape them much better. But I have a weak beard growth and you just have to take it as it is, it's that simple."

Apart from a good hair growth, it is all about shaping and grooming. Incoming president of the east Bavarian beard and moustache club, Christian Feicht, says the secret for hold and shape is simple: hairspray and a hairdryer. No doubt they’ll all be hard at work growing and styling for next year’s championships.

^{PHOTO: ANNUAL MOUSTACHE AND BEARD OLYMPICS AND GERMAN BEARD CHAMPIONSSHIPS TAKE PLACE IN SOUTH GERMANY}