FLAGLER BEACH — The swells on Saturday may not have been big enough to satisfy most competitors in surfing contests that are regularly held along the shores of the Atlantic, but they were just right for the more than 35 pups that took to the waves for the fourth annual Hang 8 Dog Surfing Extravaganza in Flagler Beach.
The day’s events started with a sunrise yoga session for dogs and their humans and ended with the awards ceremony. In between, there were surfing competitions for small, medium and large dogs, as well as a tandems and a costume contest that saw pups dressed as everything — from Dixie, a Doberman pinscher police officer and her Chihuahua prisoner, Rangler, to a three-legged shark-bite victim named Minus and Winnie, a Cavalier spaniel in a flower-encased wagon who was crowned the costume contest winner.
“Everything went wonderful,’’ said event organizer Suzie Johnston. “The biggest takeaway was just seeing how many people who volunteered and how much the city helped make this such a successful event. It’s growing every year.”
Johnston, the former mayor of Flagler Beach, teamed up with City Commissioner Eric Cooley to present the charitable event, which raises money for K9s for Warriors, SMART of Flagler and the Flagler County Humane Society.
“Flagler is known for its dog-friendly beach,’’ Johnston said. “So, what better way to celebrate that than to have an event centered around our beaches and man’s best friend.”
Here are your winners for the Hang 8 competition
Large dogs: First place and best wave, Tank; second place, Willy; and third place, Hurley.
Medium dogs: First place and best wave, Ollie; second place, Murphy; third place, Shark; best wipeout, Cocoa; and honorable mention, Gideon.
Small dogs: First place and best wave, Ocean; second place, Marlee; third place, Pugsley; and honorable mention, Sharkin Sammie.
Tandem: First place and best wave, Ocean and JJ Crane; second place, Sharkin Sammie and Kim Hardenbrook; third place, Addison and Tim Addison; and honorable mention, Marlee and Doug Critchett.
Costume contest: First place, Winnie; second place, Dixie (with Rangler); third place, Marlee; and honorable mention, Minus.
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