Noosa Festival of Surfing in Queensland is the only festival or surfing event in the world where dogs surf on a stand up board with their masters.
Festival Co-Founder Paul Jarratt said:
“It’s a wonderful experience for dog and human. It’s not really about winning or losing; it’s a celebration of all the good things we love about surfing, the ocean and environment that we are privileged to have in Noosa. We’ve got 20 countries represented this year.”
Kerry Pittman, first time dog surfer, was bursting with pride for her four-legged sidekick, Kelvin:
“I went pretty well, and I’m pretty proud of him for staying on the board for the whole time. I was thinking at some point that he was going to jump off but he trusted me enough to stay. We’re going to do it again for sure.”
It’s not just man’s best friend that is catered for in the 25th year of the Noosa Festival of Surfing. Surfers from all walks take part in the festival, including longboard, shortboard, finless, tandem, stand up paddle boards, and even body surfing. The festival is enjoyable for everyone, from those under 15 to those over 70, making it one of the most popular events on the global surfing calendar.
The festival continues until 12th March with more than 30 competitions taking place.