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See the full story · 1 sourcesAfter nearly two hours in stop-and-go traffic on a one-lane coastal road, we decided to call it. Dogs joyfully poking their heads out of car windows was the closest my husband and I got to the World Dog Surfing Championships this year.
My husband and I have been attending this annual dog surfing event in Pacifica, California, every summer, but this year—the championship's 10th anniversary—was its biggest yet. As talented surfing dogs, including the event's winner, a Yellow Labrador named Rippin' Rosie Drottar, took over the beach, thousands of dog enthusiasts just like us flocked to the coast for a chance to get a peek. The tiny beach town nearly shut down with the crowds!
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Everyone wanted to watch these dogs hang ten! (Or, hang 18 , if you want to be anatomically correct.) The event featured 14 talented pups of all sizes competing for 7 categories, including solo surfing (small, medium, and large), human-dog tandem surfing, dog-dog tandem surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, and an overall championship.
Even though the experienced surfing dogs like Iza the French Bulldog put on a show for those who were lucky enough to get to the beach, some pups didn't get to ride as many waves as planned. The competition continued despite rough surf, but several of the later heats were canceled in order to keep surfers safe.
"It was rough," contestant Sophia Sadlowski told KQED. "A little too rough for that size dog. Yeah, I mean it's rough for the other dogs, but when you're 12 pounds, it's just too much." Her dog, 'Rusty the Surfing MinPin,' still took home 3rd place in the small dog category and 1st place alongside Iza in the dog/dog tandem category, but one special Yellow Labrador took home more awards than any other pooch.
Who is Rippin' Rosie Drottar?
Five-year-old Rose Drottar is a happy-go-lucky dog who can't get enough of surfing with her dad and surf partner, Steve Drottar. She's a local pup who typically surfs at Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz, and there was no shortage of Rosie fans in attendance at the surfing championship on Saturday.
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Rosie has been surfing since she was just a tiny puppy , and now, she's a natural in the water. In fact, her dad revealed that she loves to surf even more than he does! He began to hesitate in Saturday's rough waves, but Rosie's confidence gave him the final push.
"She's a fearless beast," he said . "She just goes. It's scary for me. I'm the one that's exhausted, and she's like, 'Ahh, let's go.'"
At the end of the day, Rosie won the hearts of both the fans and judges. She took home first place in the large/extra large dog category, stand-up paddleboard category, human/dog tandem category, and the overall 'spirit of dog surfing' award!
It's easy to see why so many people raced to Pacifica to watch these athletic dogs in action. Next year, I'll just have to get there the night before the event to avoid getting stuck in traffic again!
This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Aug 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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