Evan Gillespie, 23, was the only Canadian to enter the World Beard and Moustache Championships. Courtesy Evan GillespieA Calgary man has recently returned from Norway, where he placed third in an international moustache championship.

Evan Gillespie, 23, was the only Canadian to place in the World Beard and Moustache Championships, held on May 15 at the Norwegian Moustache Club in Trondheim.

"One year ago I made a commitment to enter in the 2011 competition," said Gillespie on Monday. "I didn't shave for one year, I entered, and it was wildly successful."

He placed third in the freestyle competition, a grouping for moustaches that don't fit into any of the other categories in the "international sport of bearding" event, such as Hungarian, musketeer, and English.

Gillespie borrowed a discontinued line of German moustache wax from a friend for the big day.

"My walking around moustache takes only a minute or two to prepare, but the full moustache, that I entered into the event took over an hour to prepare," he said. "I sort of went for three imperial moustaches and if you don't know what that is, it's sort of a Lanny McDonald moustache that curls up on the end."

On the day of the competition, Gillespie said he woke up early to prepare.

"I combed my moustache … washed it, I waxed it. I trimmed and plucked any stray hairs and that was pretty much it. I dressed up in a bit of a costume."

Best in show went to German's Elamar Weisser, who sported a reindeer-themed beard.

The championship has been held every two years since 1995. Gillespie plans to enter again. He may even change categories, depending on how his moustache grows.

"I might actually get a friend to style it for me next time " he said. "Symmetry is very, very important. So it helps to have another person make sure it is perfectly symmetrical."