Meet Cacau, the Winner of the World Dog Surfing Championships

We’re all aware of the stereotype of the quintessential surfer dude: the floppy-haired, good-natured, sand-covered athlete hanging ten by the beach. But not all surfers fit the cliché. For example, some are dogs. And not just in cartoons and dreams, but in real-life California, at the World Dog Surfing Championships.

Each year, talented pups gather in Linda Mar Beach to show off their surfing skills. The competition is divided into categories, with small, medium, large, and extra-large dogs competing separately. There’s also a stand up paddle board category, a two-dog tandem category, and a human-dog tandem category. The overall winner is named Top Dog. “Judges usually look for the size of the wave, distance, open-face waves, and tricks like riding backward or turning, etc.,” Alecia Nelson, whose Pug took home the Top Dog Award in 2018, told Kinship.

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This year, over 15 dogs from all over the world competed, reported AP News — and they were met with a crowd of thousands of eager spectators. In the end, the title of Top Dog went to Cacau, a seriously adorable chocolate Labrador from Brazil, who took home the prize last year as well. Cacau has trained as a surf dog since she was just three months old.

Spectators also celebrated Faith, a Pit Bull who placed first in the large division and third overall. Faith’s guardian found her abandoned in a parking lot in 2012; since then, the water-obsessed pup has gone on to participate in seven World Dog Surfing Championships. She was recently diagnosed with vestibular syndrome, which can make it difficult to balance, and she will be retiring this year. “She went out like a champ, and she got the last hurrah we were hoping for,” Faith’s pet parent, James Wall, told the San Francisco Chronicle.

While coming home with the medal is a bonus, the competition isn’t all about the glory. Participants say it’s also a positive, communal environment for pet parents, and a great way to deepen their relationship with their pups.

“Dog surfing really is a bonding experience between you and your dog,” Dan Nykolayko, whose French Bulldog won Top Dog in 2019, told us. “Cherie and I weren’t very close when we started this adventure. Her brother Ace was my dude. But as we learned more and more about the ocean, we began to read each other better. She became trusting of me, I was able to understand her needs, and we got to be very close.” 

Plus, it’s for a good cause: this year’s competition raised money for the Peninsula Humane Society & Spca and Rocket Dog Rescue. Spectators are sometimes inspired to adopt dogs during the event. And participants in the contest do a lot of good themselves; Nykolayko told us that over his pup’s eleven years of surfing, she has raised thousands of dollars for the Helen Woodward Animal Center and the French Bulldog Rescue Network. 

So, start picking out your spot on the beach for next year’s contest — or register your own pup to compete. According to Nykolayko, all water-obsessed dogs are welcome. “The only thing you need to compete is to have a dog that loves to catch waves,” he told us. “No other qualifications are necessary.”