Every sport has a definitive champion, a legend of the game who transcends time and tradition through an unmatchable dominance. These are “The Greats.” For basketball it’s Michael Jordan. Baseball, Babe Ruth. And for surfing, it’s unanimously Kelly Slater. But within the underground world of competitive canine surfing, there’s a rising champ, a darkhorse when it comes to traditional surf athleticism. But the unlikely hero’s recent domination doesn’t lie. Meet Ziggy, the current world champion of competitive dog surfing.
Ziggy, a miniature American Eskimo, affirmed her control over competitive dog surfing over the weekend in San Diego. Over 80 dogs came out to a Del Mar beach on Sunday for the Surf Dog Surf-a-Thon competition. The field was rife with strong competitors including French Bulldogs, Labs and a Dachshund/Chihuahua mix. But Ziggy, smaller and fluffier than most of the other pups, bested the lot of ’em.
And not only does Ziggy dominate the competitive series, she has the most fun while she’s at it.
“She loves the water and the beach,” Ziggy’s owner, Susan Heberer, toldThe San Diego Union Tribune. “When she gets out there, she always has a huge smile on her face.”
Ziggy’s been on a tear lately. She stole the show at the 10th annual Petco Surf Dog Championships in San Diego last month, taking home the grand prize. And before that, she won another comp earlier in the year. If Ziggy can pull off a win at the Canine Expo – the Pipe Masters of competitive canine surfing – in Huntington Beach later this month, then she’ll have solidified her spot in history as one of “The Greats.”
