What You Need To Know About California's World Dog Surfing Championships

Watch canines catch the “ruff-est” waves at Northern California’s annual event.

Every August dozens of the furriest surfers—and their owners—head to the San Francisco Bay Area for the World Dog Surfing Championships. Many are decked out in costume as they hang 10 (er, 20).

Held in Pacifica, the dogs enter the water with their owners, who then push the boards into waves for them. The four-legged surfers are then judged on two main criteria: “No. 1 is stay on the board and No. 2 is looking happy,” Sam Stahl, one of the judges, told NPR. “No one wants to see a dog terrified at the end of a surfboard.”

Each heat lasts 10 minutes, and dogs compete against pooches of their same size, across four categories that range from small to “very large.” They can compete solo or tandem, with either a human or another dog as their partner. Dogs can earn up to 10 points each round. Besides the surfing, there is also a costume and a ball-fetching competition.

“It’s subjective,” Stahl told the San Francisco Chronicle, with regard to the judging. “It’s a feeling. You’re looking for ability to stand, ride, move in the wave. You’re looking for style. How panicked or how calm the dog is. That makes a difference.”

While many canines are fairly new to the sport, there are a few seasoned experts. Dog surfing legend, Abbie, has been the reigning top dog in the medium category for the past two years. An Australian Kelpie, Abbie has been surfing since 2008. In 2014, she became the first dog inducted into the International Surfing Hall of Fame.

The Pacifica competition has been held since 2016, but dog surfing events have been going on for much longer. The first competition took place in 2006 at Loews Coronado hotel in San Diego. An annual Surf Dog event is held in San Diego, along with one in Huntington Beach. The sport appears to be growing in popularity as more events are popping up in the U.S. and around the world.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.