Like every long weekend, the August long weekend went by way to fast, but it wasn’t without its fun, unusual, and unique moments. The annual World Dog Surfing Championships took place off the coast of Pacifica, California over the weekend where dogs and their owners competed in various categories to see which pooch could impress the judges most.
The competition is a local favourite, attracting thousands of spectators each year to see mostly spaniels, labs, and terriers riding the waves in specially designed life jackets. A team of judges look at things like balance, how long each dog stays on the board, and if they can do any tricks.
Roughly 20 dogs participated in this year’s event with a five year old French bulldog named Iza winning the single surfer event. His owner tells the Associated Press that his dog fell in love with the concept of surfing after he brought home a surf board from his job at Costco five years ago. It wasn’t long until he and the dog were training in a swimming pool and learning how to balance on a board.
In the double event, two labs named Charlie and Rose scratched and clawed their way to the top, winning the competition. According to their owner, the “dream team” of Charlie and Rose surf four to five times a week near their hometown of Santa Cruz, California where both dogs really enjoy the activity.
The World Dog Surfing Championships started in 2016 with proceeds going to various charities and non-profit organizations. According to their website, the idea of a dog surfing competition came from the book “The Dog’s Guide to Surfing,” which has now inspired people in the UK, Australia, and Florida to host a similar event as California.
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