Dog Surfing World Championships brings wet and wild waves of fun

Pacifica, California - When you think of California, you might think sun, sand, and surfing. Yet, our sporty four-legged friends have their own surfing World Championships, and the wet and wild fun went down once again this weekend!

First place in the Large/XL Dogs category went to Faith, a pit bull who was found in a parking garage at six months old and then adopted.
First place in the Large/XL Dogs category went to Faith, a pit bull who was found in a parking garage at six months old and then adopted.  © Instagram/faithsurfs

Surf's up, pups!

On Saturday, the World Dog Surfing Championships took place once again at Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica, California.

Daring dogs of all kinds competed against each other in several groups.

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The categories are sorted by dog size and include solo surfing, tandem surfing with two dogs per board, and tandem surfing with their owner. Then, the finalists compete for Top Dog honors.

Each pup had to wear a life jacket and was judged based on their technique, confidence, and the size and force of the wave, CNN reported.

Among the winners was ten-year-old pit bull Faith, who brought home the gold in the Large/XL Dog category.

"I think I am the only dog ever to launch fins and spin the board under my paws," she wrote on Instagram after her win.

Charlie, a seven-year-old Labrador, took second place in the same category.

"His excitement to hit the waves is undeniable," Charlie's owner Jeffrey Niebor said. "He knows what to do. We usually do pretty well, and we have a lot of fun doing it."

The competition also featured other fun-filled events like a Frisbee and ball-fetch-in-water competition and a costume contest.

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Charlie the Labrador took second place in the Large/XL Dogs category.
Charlie the Labrador took second place in the Large/XL Dogs category.  © Instagram/charlie_surfsup

But animals weren't the only ones invited to participate. Human surfers were also able to showcase their surfing skills for an hour, too.

The event also featured a Pet Wellness Fair, where pet owners could give their dogs a checkup, check out a mobile pet adoption site, and even get treated to a doggy massage.

Following the festivities, spectators and competitors were cordially invited to a Yappy Hour.

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The World Championships are free of charge for beach goers, with a portion of the proceeds from the activities being donated to dog, surfing, and environmental non-profits.

According to the event's website, the first dog surfing competition was launched in 2006 by the author of the book The Dog's Guide to Surfing. Now, similar events are held worldwide.

Cover photo: Collage: Instagram/charlie_surfsup & faithsurfs

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