We all love videos of dogs doing things, something that usually brightens our day, and videos of surfing dogs are no exception. Seeing them with their life jackets braving the gigantic waves on a surfboard is the best!
Well, I have to tell you that you are in luck and you will be able to see them in person or even, if you have a furry surfer, sign up to participate in a new edition of the European Surfing Championship for dogs. The event is held on the beautiful La Concha Beach, next to the Suances promenade, in Cantabria. An ideal place for surf lovers. Reserve the weekend of May 18 and 19 in your diaries, you will live a unique experience!
To make matters worse, we can not only delight in watching those furry dogs catch waves as if there were no tomorrow, the main objective of this competition, organized by Dingonatura and the MarathonDog Association in collaboration with the Suances City Council, is the promotion of canine sport, strengthening the bond between people and dogs thanks to play, in addition to the fight against abandonment through close collaboration with animal protection associations.
“This event shows that surfing is not just an activity for people, but that, thanks to training and the dogs’ natural ability to balance, these animals can master the board and move between the waves better than many experienced humans. “says Manuel Calvo, director of events and institutional relations at Dingonatura.
If you take the opportunity to take a weekend getaway to Suances, you should know that in addition to the championship itself, the third edition of this competition will have exciting activities for the whole family. There will be exhibitions together with animal protection associations that will provide information to all interested parties about the steps to follow and the different options that exist to adopt and expand the family.
In addition, the natural food brand for dogs and cats, Dingonatura, sponsor of the event, will donate 2,000 portions of food for abandoned dogs to the association chosen by the owners of the winning furry surfers.
If you are interested in participating with your four-legged companion, tell you that on Saturday, May 18 in the morning, all dogs registered in the championship will be welcomed with honors. After the rigorous veterinary control and with the necessary technical material to enter the water provided by Up Surfboard, the furry participants will carry out a series of mandatory training sessions and qualifying rounds with which the order of participation will be decided to compete the next day. .
Furthermore, as if that were not enough, that same morning, the Maritime Rescue Canine Unit, in charge of the championship’s security, will carry out a magnificent exhibition with Newfoundland Dogs, a breed with particular characteristics that allow them to swim with their four limbs and have a unique ability to function in the water; Quite a sight to behold!
But the day doesn’t end there; The activities will continue throughout the afternoon with an “Adoptions Catwalk”, where you can see all the furry dogs looking for a new home, something that at Peludos we love. Who knows, maybe you will leave Suances with another member of your family.
Already on Sunday, May 19, the dogs divided into the 4 competition categories will show their great ability on the board: Small dogs (up to 5 kg in weight); Medium dogs (5 to 15 kg); Large dogs (from 15 kg); Tandem (dog and owner on the same board).
Explain that in each round, participants will have ten minutes to catch as many waves as they can and thus obtain up to a maximum of 10 points for each member of the jury. The performances will be evaluated based on a series of criteria: duration, technique, the dog’s confidence on the board, style, the difficulty of the wave surfed and the dog’s enjoyment. Finally, the three dogs with the highest scores in each category will be the winners of their group. Among them, the two best will later compete in a second round with the two best from the other categories (excluding the Tandem category), from which the final winner of the competition will emerge.
You know, if your furry friend is an artist at taming waves, registration for the Third Edition of the European Surfing Championship for dogs is now open on the website: championshipsurfperros.com.
You can also sign up by sending your information to the email: championshipsurfperros@gmail.com.
