May 24, 2010
Sur-furs Hang 16 at Coronado Bay In a rough sea sixty-five dogs vied for the Coronado Bay Surfing Championship on Saturday. They ranged from 5 pound Gorgeous Bobby, a Pomeranian who flew in from Hawaii, to Nani, an 85 pound Bernese Mountain Dog. Other stars included Buddy, a 12 year old Jack Russell surfing champion; the “Twisted Sisters,” Kalani and Richochet (AKA Rip Curl Ricki) — golden retrievers who competed both solo and as a pair on one board — Dozer, an English Bulldog; Toby, an 8 year old Shih-Tzu rescue; and Abbie Girl, an Australian Kelpie rescue who won. (Her photographs are at the end of the album.) If you don’t know dog surfing, the “surfurs” are carried out on their boards to the breakers and then sent on their way when they catch the right wave. Styles vary from standing up, to crouching, to lying down, to sitting. Some dogs surf backwards, others move around pointing frontwards and backwards. The majority of dogs on Saturday were hugely enthusiastic about their surfing and eager to get on their boards. Others weren’t quite so gung-ho, but they surfed for their people.

Sur-furs Hang 16 at Coronado Bay

In a rough sea sixty-five dogs vied for the Coronado Bay Surfing Championship on Saturday. They ranged from 5 pound Gorgeous Bobby, a Pomeranian who flew in from Hawaii, to Nani, an 85 pound Bernese Mountain Dog. Other stars included Buddy, a 12 year old Jack Russell surfing champion; the “Twisted Sisters,” Kalani and Richochet (AKA Rip Curl Ricki) — golden retrievers who competed both solo and as a pair on one board — Dozer, an English Bulldog; Toby, an 8 year old Shih-Tzu rescue; and Abbie Girl, an Australian Kelpie rescue who won. (Her photographs are at the end of the album.)

If you don’t know dog surfing, the “surfurs” are carried out on their boards to the breakers and then sent on their way when they catch the right wave. Styles vary from standing up, to crouching, to lying down, to sitting. Some dogs surf backwards, others move around pointing frontwards and backwards. The majority of dogs on Saturday were hugely enthusiastic about their surfing and eager to get on their boards. Others weren’t quite so gung-ho, but they surfed for their people.

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