The Hang 8 Dog Surfing Extravaganza was held on Saturday in Flagler Beach, the fourth year now that the contest has been running. As expected, hundreds if not thousands assembled near the heart of town to watch the most talented canine surfers in the region compete in multiple divisions for one of several prizes doled out by event organizers.
The Hang 8 event was planned and facilitated by realtor and former Flagler Beach Mayor Suzie Johnston and Eric Cooley, a Flagler Beach City Commissioner and owner of the 7-Eleven store on SR-A1A. The contest was held just a couple blocks south of the Flagler Beach Pier, covering a fair portion of both the beach and the wooden boardwalk up on dry land.
Organizers Eric Cooley and Suzie Johnston. ⓒ Eryn Harris
“It’s been from 9:00 pm til midnight on the computer,” said Johnston of the preparation process leading up to the event. “Setup was a little bit calmer this year from previous years, but staging it the night before is really the key to making the contest a success.”
In addition to surfing dogs, the Hang 8 festivities have become a marquee community event in more ways than one. For one, it’s become one of the most popular days for locals to head out to the beach. For another, dozens of vendors set up shop both on the sand and along the boardwalk for attendees to patronize. And beyond that, there are several avenues within the event to support pet-related nonprofits serving Flagler County and the surrounding area.
“We’re more spread out, that’s why it feels better now…it’s not as congested as it was [in years past],” Cooley said. “We’re making better use of the stage area, and this year operationally we got much higher focus on safety. It’s always been the top thing, but we crank down a lot on the rules.”
ⓒ Eryn Harris
Spearheading the music and main stage of the event was Vern Shank, known equally for his DJing on Surf 97.3 FM, his organization of First Friday in Veterans Park, and his musical talents in bands like the Cherry Drops and the Electro/Statics. Meanwhile, refereeing the surfing was Cooley and local surfing icon Juan Carlos Mallorca Maridueña. The judging team was composed of lifelong surfers Don Worley, Kyle Wilson and Paul Chestnut, plus Flagler County Commissioner Greg Hansen.
Attendance of the contest was close, if slightly lower than last year’s running according to Cooley, something he attributed to the particularly oppressive heat of the day. While the temperature may have kept some would-be beachgoers inside the air conditioning, the summer water conditions couldn’t have been more conducive to dog surfing. The ocean was calm out to the horizon with small, clean waves at the shore that worked perfectly for furry boardriders. “I love chihuahua waves,” Johnston reflected. “The weather’s hot, but the waves are great and the water’s a little cooler so it’s nice to dip your toes in the sand.”
ⓒ Eryn Harris
Contest Results
Several divisions were created for the Hang 8 Dog Surfing Extravaganza participants, dividing into categories of size and function plus extracurricular contests. The results are as follows, per the Hang 8 social media page.
Small Dog Division:
- First Place: Ocean
- Second Place: Marlee
- Third Place: Pugsley
- Honorable Mention: Sammie
- Best Wave: Ocean
Medium Dog Division:
- First Place: Ollie
- Second Place: Murphy
- Third Place: Sharkin Sammie
- Honorable Mention: Gideon
- Best Wave: Ollie
Large Dog Division:
- First Place: Tank
- Second Place: Willy Good Dog
- Third Place: Hurley
- Best Wave: Tank
Human/Dog Tandem Division:
- First Place: Ocean
- Second Place: Sharkin Sammie
- Third Place: Addison
- Honorable Mention: Marlee
- Best Wave: Ocean
Costume Contest:
- First Place: Winny
- Second Place: Dixie w/ Rangler
- Third Place: Marlee
- Honorable Mention: Minus
Best Kiss:
- Chunky
Best Wipeout:
- Coco
Surf dog Wednesday, the unofficial mascot and star of Hang 8, granted mercy upon the field by retiring from competition ahead of this year’s event. ⓒ Eryn Harris
