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Meet the man with the world's most impressive beard.

Elmar Weisser, a 47 year-old hairdresser, beat 160 hopefuls from 15 countries to take first prize in the World Beard and Moustache Championship, held this year in Trondheim, Norway.

His facial creation included a moose and a Norwegian flag.

Weisser was well-groomed for victory – he'd won the competition several times before, he told AFP. He won in 2005 in Berlin by shaping his beard into the landmark Brandenburg Gate.  In 2007, he declared victory in  won in England for his recreation of the Tower Bridge.

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Moustaches are judged in six categories: natural, English, Dali, Hungarian, imperial and freestyle.

Contestants with what is deemed a "partial beard" compete for honours in the natural, Chinese, Imperial, Musketeer, sideburns, and freestyle categories, while those with full beards are divided into the groups natural, natural with styled Moustache, Verdi, Garibaldi and freestyle.

Weisser told reporters that when he isn't competing in beard competitions, he just lets it all hang out.

"When my beard isn't styled, it goes down to my waist. It is sort of folded up," he said.