Getty Image / Josh Edelson / AFP
The 2023 Dog Surfing World Championships were held at Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica, California over the weekend.
Dog surfing is exactly what it sounds like, pups hopping on surfboards and catching waves. However, some of the furry surfers ride in tandem with their owners while others might catch waves solo with their owners pushing them into the waves because they’re unable to paddle the board themselves.
These championships are held annually in California. The categories are broken down by Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large (Breed) and Human/Dog tandem categories.
They announced this year’s winners on Instagram after the event:
Footage from the 2023 Dog Surfing World Championships in South San Francisco made its way to YouTube. There’s something about seeing these dogs catching waves that’s just incredible.
This YouTube Shorts clip has gone viral:
The clips of dogs surfing on Instagram have also been picking up steam:
Samson rides this one nearly all the way to the shore:
Skyler can shred:
This dog with the blue faux-hawk was everywhere. He could really shred:
This competition wasn’t for every dog. Even though Northern California is facing a Category 4 marine heatwave at the moment that’s expected to reach Southern California soon, the water is still quite chilly.
My Bernese Mountain Dog would’ve loved water that cold but she hated swimming in rough water. Small dogs without much fur certainly seem to get colder quicker than the big dogs. But there were also a ton of small dogs out there with doggy wetsuits and/or lifejackets for warmth.
It is a very inclusive event, as far as dogs go. Much more so than traditional dog shows where entrants must fit a ‘breed standard.’ Out on those Nor-Cal beaches for the Dog Surfing World Championships, it’s all about whether the dog can shred. And these dogs certainly can shred.