On the first Saturday of August, a stretch of Northern California coastline turns into the most joyful sporting arena in the country. Wetsuit-clad Labradors paddle out past the break, French Bulldogs balance on foam boards, and a crowd thousands deep loses its collective mind every time a dog rides a wave to shore. This is the World Dog Surfing Championships, and in 2026 it hits a milestone: its 10th anniversary.
The event returns to Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica, California — just south of San Francisco — on Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. PST. Top dogs from around the world will compete for the coveted Golden Surfie Award, and this year the whole thing lands on ESPN8: The Ocho on August 6. If you have never watched a Pit Bull hang ten, clear your calendar.
What's actually happening on August 1
The championships are free to attend, and the Surf Dog Village at Linda Mar is open to the public all morning. Beyond the surf heats themselves, the day includes a beach fashion contest, dog skateboarding, on-site dog adoptions, sponsor tents, and a post-event gathering at nearby Puerto 27. Advance registration for the competition closed on July 24, so this year's field is set — but spectators just show up, grab a spot on the sand, and cheer.
Roughly 15 to 20 dogs typically make the final field, drawn from a much larger pool of Bay Area regulars and international travelers. It is a small, tight-knit competitor group and an enormous, delighted audience — the kind of event where strangers pass a stunned "did that dog just do that?" glance down the whole beach.
How do you judge a surfing dog?
It is more rigorous than you would think. Dogs compete in weight-class divisions — small, medium, large, and extra-large — and a panel of judges scores each ride on a 10-point scale. According to the official rules, points reward the length of the ride (bonus if the board reaches the sand), the dog's technique and stance, its confidence, the size and strength of the wave, and style flourishes like riding backward or turning down the line.
There is also a Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) division, a tandem class where two dogs surf a single board, and a dog-and-human tandem event for the truly synchronized. The California Canine Beach Fashion Competition rounds it out for pups whose talents lean more toward runway than riptide. In other words, there is a category for nearly every dog — which is exactly the point.
The champions are almost all underdogs
The reigning Top Dog is Cacau, a chocolate Labrador from Brazil who took the 2025 title for the second consecutive year. Her secret? She started surf training at just three months old. But the stories that stick are rarely about pedigree.
Take Iza, a French Bulldog who won her medium single-surfer heat in 2025 — a breed not exactly built for endurance athletics. Her owner, David Fasoli, put it best: "I have a disability — I only have one hand — so a nonsporting human combined with a nonsporting dog breed, we are kind of phenomenal, defying the odds of what people think we're capable of doing."
Then there is Faith, a Pit Bull who was found abandoned in a parking lot in 2012, went on to compete in seven World Dog Surfing Championships, and retired in 2025 after placing first in the large division and third overall. "She went out like a champ, and she got the last hurrah we were hoping for," her guardian, James Wall, told reporters. A dumped shelter dog becoming a seven-time world competitor is the whole spirit of this event in one biography.
Want to see what all of this actually looks like? Here's Pacific Coast TV's on-the-sand coverage of the 2025 championships — surf heats, wipeouts, winners and all:
Why a surfing contest is really a rescue fundraiser
Strip away the wetsuits and the leaderboard, and the championships exist to move dogs into homes. The 2025 event raised funds for the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA and Rocket Dog Rescue, and adoptions happen right there on the beach — spectators show up to watch dogs surf and sometimes leave having adopted one.
For a lot of competitors, the win is beside the point. As Steve Drottar, owner of a yellow Lab named Rosie, described it: "It's like, hey, we actually did something today, right? We did something together as a team... The fact that you can do something as a team with your dog creates a different bond than you have when you just take your dog for a walk." That's the throughline — the sport is a vehicle for connection, and the proceeds are a vehicle for second chances.
Thinking about trying it with your own dog?
You do not need a championship-caliber Lab to introduce your dog to the water — but you do need to do it safely. A few vet-backed ground rules before your pup ever touches a board:
- Always use a canine life jacket. Even strong swimmers tire, and a jacket keeps a dog's head above water while conserving energy. The American Kennel Club recommends one for any dog on or near open water, especially low-body-fat breeds and seniors who fatigue faster.
- Never assume swimming ability equals safety. As one veterinarian bluntly warns, "No matter how well a dog can swim under supervision, any dog can drown." Supervise every second.
- Start on the sand. Use a foam-top board that's easy to grip, get your dog comfortable sitting and staying on it while it's still on dry ground, then move to a few inches of calm water before anything resembling a wave.
- Bring fresh water and rinse off after. Drinking salt water makes dogs sick, and a post-session rinse removes salt and bacteria that irritate skin.
And mind the summer heat while you're at it — hot sand and pavement can burn paw pads well before you notice, so check out our guide to the hot-pavement test every dog owner needs before heading to the beach, and keep your pup cool and hydrated on the walk down.
Catch the wave
Whether you make it to Pacifica on August 1 or just tune in to The Ocho five days later, the World Dog Surfing Championships are a reminder of the best thing about dogs: they will try almost anything if it means doing it alongside you. A rescued Pit Bull, a one-handed surfer and his Frenchie, a Brazilian Lab defending her crown — all of them out there for the pure fun of catching a wave together.
Looking for more dog-friendly adventures near you? Sidewalk Dog maps out patios, parks, beaches, and businesses that welcome your best friend — so you can find your own version of the perfect day out, no surfboard required.
