Beard of the Month – February 2015

The winner is…

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Geoff Cross

Last year’s SBOTY finalist is back and it may be the last we see of this Hagrid-esque beard. Cross, 32, is a qualified doctor and can’t really carry around a bush on his face in a hospital so plans to shave eventually anyway. He’s now raising money for charity before the hedge trimmers come out.

Hafthor Bjornsson

Attached to one of the strongest men in the world, Bjornsson’s beard helped him to break a 1,000 year old record. Bjornsson lifted and took 5 steps with a 10m long, 1,433lb Viking mast.

John Mooney

Ireland have been involved in two dramatic games in the ICC World Cup. Firstly beating West Indies against the odds, and then beating the UAE with only 4 balls to go. John Mooney has been a part of both of these wins and has also been fined for mouthing off at one of the West Indians.

Rob Ninkovich

Ninkovich and his beard won the Superbowl single-handedly. Probably. Maybe not, honestly, I’ve no idea about American Football, but it was surely a big factor. He also turned 31 on the big day, which is nice.

The winner is…

World’s Strongest Beard 2014

The World’s Strongest Man final took place in August in LA, but for some reason it’s traditional to show it on UK television between Christmas and New Year. That means BeardWatch has been glued to the competition whilst desperately avoiding spoilers.

Strength Athletics has a fine tradition of bearded behemoths, and here are the Top Ten Beards from this year’s competitors.

10. Mark Felix, England

The oldest competitor in the field showing the kids how it’s done. @MarkFelixTV

9. Jerry Pritchett, USA

Jerry Pritchett is the first American entry on the list, and shows off the ultimate chinstrap. @PritchettPower

8. Hafthor Bjornsson, Iceland

Not that I’d like to mess with any of these guys, but this Icelandic Mountain of a man holds a special terrifying place in that category. Bjornsson plays Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane in Game of Thrones in his spare time. @ThorBjornsson_

7. Brian Shaw, USA

Shaw clearly uses a cookie cutter as the guide for his chin beard, and to good effect for a unique look. @ShawStrength

6. Warrick Brant, Australia

Another unique beard shape amongst the competitors is Australia’s Brant. No cheek coverage, but plenty of chin and neck coverage serves him well. @WarrickBrant

5. Scott Cummine,Canada

Canada’s only entry in the list takes the prestigious title of Best Ginger Beard, which is always recognised as an extra mark of confidence in an increasingly anti-ginger beard world. @ScottCommine

4. Mike Burke, USA

Mike Burke is very unlucky to finish outside the top 3 considering the sterling progress he’s made since last year’s goatee. This was a well-trimmed and shapely beard.

3. Eddie Hall, England

Big Eddie is Britain’s Strongest Beard. Hall’s beard personifies his fearless attitude and approach to Strongman. The mohawk, tats and that beard make for an intimidating opponent and will only get better in years to come. @EddieHallWSM

2. Gerhard van Staden, South Africa

In between training, the Southern Hemisphere’s Strongest Beard looks after lions in a sanctuary in South Africa. This is clearly the inspiration for his glorious mane, and helps make him the Alpha Lion in any pride.

1. Robert Oberst, USA

But it’s pre-competition favourite Robert Oberst who takes the overall title of World’s Strongest Beard. After trying American Football and bouncer work, eventually became a professional strongman with just four months of intensive training. He also wears pink whenever he can to support awareness of breast cancer, showing the big man has a big heart.

This massive beard was unmatched for sheer length and volume at this year’s competition and is a worthy winner. @RobertOberst

Team Beard

The USA snatch the overall Team Beard title from England! A solid effort throughout the team.

Sports Beard of the Year 2014

Here we are, the inaugural Sport Beard of the Year (#SBOTY2014). Below are the Beard of the Month winners from BeardWatch’s first 13 months, and it’s up to you to vote for the overall winner. Some beards may no longer be with us, or be at their glorious best, but your sound judgement will vote the one that had the greatest impact for the promotion of beards throughout sport.

So stroke your beard in deep thought and ponder the following Beard of the Month winners…

Voting is closed! Winner announced at 9pm GMT.

 

Tim Howard

November 2013 – American – Football

Inspirational in goal for the USA in the World Cup.

Robert Oberst

December 2013 – American – Strongman

Oberst can lift massive stones with his beard (and his arms). Finished 9th in the 2013 World’s Strongest Man Final.

Andy Carroll

January – English – Football

Spent a long spell injured sensibly growing a beard and burst back into the Premier League in January.

Davide Moscardelli

February – Italian – Football

Voted the greatest Italian football beard. Difficult to argue.

Will Leer

March – American – Athletics

The fastest beard over 800m that you’re likely to see. 6th in the IAAF World Indoor Championships 2014.

Kyle Amor

April – English – Rugby League

Part of the St Helens team that won the 2014 Super League Grand Final.

Geraint Walsh

May – Welsh – Rugby Union

Won the Welsh Premiership player of the year with Pontypridd before moving to Cardiff Blues in the summer.

Andrea Pirlo

June – Italian – Football

The epitome of bearded cool, proving bigger isn’t always better.

Kane Richardson

July – Australian – Cricket

Sporting a fine example of a beard at only 23 years, Richardson is Australia’s finest hirsute cricketer.

Stuart Sinclair

August – English – Football

Sinclair plays for the appropriately nicknamed ‘Pirates’ of Bristol Rovers, swashbuckling his way through England’s Football League.

James Tomlinson

September – English – Cricket

A superb end of season for Tomlinson led to Hampshire to win the County Championship Division Two.

Fetu’u Vainikolo

October – Tongan – Rugby Union

Tonga’s happiest man made history when the Exeter Chiefs won their first Anglo-Welsh Silver Cup

Geoff Cross

November – Scottish – Rugby Union
Arguably Rugby Union’s best current beard. A qualified doctor and expecting father, Cross is full taking advantage of this bearded opportunity while he can.

 

If you want to look as good as these fine gentlemen, take a look at Beard Trimmer Reviews for top brands and top tips.

The Top 10 Beards of the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games has been a fantastic opportunity to do some hipster sportwatching. Where else could you say “Did you spot Cyprus v Guernsey last night in the Lawn Bowls? Amazing game.”

The same is true for the noble art of beardwatching. Some wonderful and lesser known beards have been spotted and enjoyed, but it must be said most seem to come from the larger nations. Perhaps the smaller nations haven’t got the budget for beard husbandry which is a big shame.

Before we start the top ten, honourable mentions to Welsh Captain Aled Davies, English squashist Daryl Selby, Cypriot hammer thrower Konstadinos Stathelakos and maybe one for the future Tom Daley:

10. Sir Bradley Wiggins

The English cyclist was famous for his sideburns, but has grown up and moved on to a very classy beard. A new beard icon.

9. Kurt Fearnley

The only thing close to competition for the all-conquering David Weir in the T54 category.The Aussie is obviously enjoying Glasgow and getting into the spirit with a ginger beard.

8. Craig Maclean

The only entry in the top ten for the home nation. Craig Maclean was the ‘pilot’ cyclist for visually impaired Neil Fachie in the tandem sprint. Though, looking at the two of them together, you’d have to assume Maclean was most of the engine too…

7. Nickel Ashmeade

The Jamaican took bronze in the 100m which makes him the fastest beard on the track. Also had the responsibility of handing the baton to Usain Bolt in the relay. With great beard comes great responsibility.

6. Ben Gregory

Welshman Gregory finished 5th in the decathlon, making his beard arguably the most multi-talented at the games.

5. Jason Morgan

Morgan was the big entertainer in the discus competition. The Jamaican finished third and danced his way around the track to celebrate. Fantastically round and beefy beard.

4. Julian Wruck

The Aussie discus man shed 17 kilos in the 6 weeks before the games after realising that bigger is not always better. Luckily, he learnt the opposite is true for beards and grew this monster to compensate.

3. DJ Forbes

DJ Forbes may be remembered in New Zealand as the captain who lost their first ever Commonwealth Rugby 7s game, in the final. Real sports fans will remember him for his mighty captain’s beard.

2. Martyn Rooney

The English runner is the epitome of style running in wrap around shades and a thick, black beard. It obviously doesn’t cause much drag despite its obvious density, and saw Rooney to 4th in the 400m.

1. Damon Kelly

Kelly took bronze in the 105kg weightlifting with an astonishing 388kg in his two lifts. However, the big Australian can be proud of having the very best beard in the Commonwealth Games.

World’s Strongest Man 2013

I used to be an avid watcher of World’s Strongest Man (WSM), but have unfortunately missed the last few years. This year, however, I was right back in it.

And what a year for beards.

The standout for me was the strength of the English contingent. And I don’t mean lifting big stones and lobbing kegs over their heads (Seriously, how did no one brain themselves doing that?). The beards, oh the beards…

The Englishman here (From top left, clockwise)
Terry Hollands, Mark Felix, Lloyd Renals and Eddie Hall.

Terry Hollands is the most experienced of the team, having been at various points England’s, Britain’s and the UK’s Strongest Man, and has reached the final of WSM for the last 9 years, finishing 3rd on two occasions.

Mark Felix is the oldest competitor in WSM at 47 years old!

For me, Eddie Hall is Britain’s Strongest Bearded Man. I bet he has a massive motorbike too.

If England are Team Beard in this competition, the USA are definitely Team Goatee.

Nick Best, Mike Burke and Brian Shaw

The winner of December’s Beard of the Month was American, Robert Oberst. Not content with a goatee, he went all the way.

He’s so new to the sport, he doesn’t have a Wikipedia page, but is already making a big name for himself in the Strong Man world.

Speaking exclusively to BeardWatch (well sort of, he tweeted me anyway), Robert said:

I’d like to thank my producer and my team of hair care professionals. LOL

The ultimate Strong Man Beard must be Geoff Capes.There may have been bigger and better beards (unlikely), but Geoff is the only man to win the competition with a beard. Twice. The first of only 3 Brits to win and he still holds the UK Shot Put record from 1980.

Bush-faced ball-throwing man-monster.

What other beards have you spotted in the competition? Let us know in the comments below!

Beard of the Month – December

Hashim Amla 22%

Mitchell Johnson 7%

Robert Oberst 59%

Simon Whitlock 11%

The winner is Robert Oberst!

World’s Strongest Man Finalist and the USA’s Strongest Man. This guy eats 3.5lbs of steak a DAY. Here he is lifting an atlas stone using only his beard (… and his arms):

Hashim Amla

Opener for South Africa and currently ranked as the top batsman in the world. Scored a cool 100 off 117 balls recently against India.

Mitchell Johnson

Australian fast bowler currently obliterating the English batsmen in the fourth test of the Ashes. With a moustache.

Simon Whitlock

Currently in the Quarter Finals of the BDO Darts Championships and is actually upset that Phil ‘The  Power’ Taylor is out of the competition so he can’t beat the big man himself.<<Beard of the Month – November