The Canadian bobsled team failed to medal in the two-man bobsled race, but the team is still coming out of Sochi as one of the most popular teams due to their epic beards and shirtless photo.

In late January, James McNaughton, a member of the Canadian bobsled team, posted a photo on Twitter featuring him and his teammates, Justin Kripps, Tim Randall and Bryan Barnett, standing outside in their sled in nothing but their underwear (and their beards, of course). Some reported that the photo was a way for the team to take a stance against Russia’s anti-gay laws prior to the opening of the Sochi Olympics, but, in fact, the team had to disrobe for an Olympic weigh-in.

The photo quickly went viral, with many McNaughton encouraging fans on Twitter to put the photo as their phone home screen. Not to be left out, other members of the Canadian bobsled team such as Jesse Lumsden and Christopher Spring joined in on the shirtless picture fun last week, posting a selfie of themselves preparing for a dip for some “cold water therapy.”

The Canadians also ignited a new catchphrase for their teams and fans with the hashtag ‘Beardmode’ gaining steam on Twitter. The play on ‘Beast Mode’ has come to define the Canadian team, most of whom sport long, thick beards. ‘#BeardMode’ gained traction after the nearly naked team photo was posted on the Internet and the trend went viral.

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong

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