So, Canadian men aren’t generally on my hot list (which includes French, Russians and generic Scandinavians, in case you were wondering), but I’m willing to make an exception here (see also: Paul Gross in Due South).
I’ll confess that the Canadian third Bobsleigh team had slightly skipped my attention until a few weeks ago (to be fair, so had the GB Team – winter sports have never been a passion of mine). And then captain Justin Kripps posted this picture on Twitterof the team in their pants, checking their race weight. Also, it’s the Sochi Olympics this week y’all, and we like to keep things topical.
Check out the arms. And the pants. And the beards. And the arms again. And the chest. It’s almost enough to make me break a lifelong vow and go skiing/snowboarding/outside in winter. I’m thinking sexy après-ski, log fires and log cabins, and inexplicably one or all of them rescuing me from a burning building, before going back in to save my kitten and a stray grandmother. Are you with me?
Vital Statistics
Age: From front of picture – Justin Kripps, Team Beard Captain, 27; Timothy Randall, 27; James McNaughton, 26, and Bryan Barnett, 26.
From: Always wanted to do a tour of the whole of Canada? WELL, NOW’S YOUR CHANCE! Kripps and Randall can both be found in Calgary, while James McNaughton lives in Ontario and Bryan Barnett resides in Edmonton. Alternatively, they can all be found in the Sochi Olympic Village, RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND.
I like to think they all hang out in the same bar together, drinking beers and discussing who can do the most pull-ups.
**Significant other(s)? **Not being actors, singers, models, or indeed part of the cast of TOWIE, the internet isn’t awash with news about Team Beard’s love life – although Randall apparently has a girlfriend back home who isn’t keen on his beard. So let's assume that the other three are entirely single and spend their evenings arm wrestling over who gets to be my boyfriend first.
Things we love about them:
The beards have quickly become the team’s thing. At time of going to press, Randall’s beard measured in at 12 centimetres. Yes, someone actually measured it. For TV.
They’re good at multi tasking, these Canadians. Barnett is also a sprinter – representing Canada in the 200m at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Such is the team’s popularity on Twitter, facial hair-wise, they’ve spawned their very own hash tag – #beardmode. I love a man with rippling muscles and his own hash tag.
Follow Rebecca on Twitter @Rebecca_hol
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.