Overview
- The 10th World Dog Surfing Championships at Linda Mar Beach concluded Saturday, August 1, after organizers canceled several late heats because of a hazardous surf advisory for sneaker waves and rip currents.
- Organizers replaced the planned final ‘top dog’ surf-off with a revised awards approach focused on a spirit-of-surfing honor to avoid risking small dogs in choppy water.
- Rippin' Rosie won the large/overall spirit award while Bradley 'Shortboard' Cooper took the small-dog division and Iza won the medium division.
- Thousands of spectators attended the free, charity-focused event that included a pet adoption village and fundraising for local animal groups and was recorded for a future ESPN broadcast.
- Event leaders and volunteers emphasized safety by staging extra lifeguard and volunteer coverage and making operational changes, a sign of the competition’s growth from a local novelty into a higher-profile fundraiser and media attraction.