A beloved canine who made history as the first dog ever welcomed into the Surfer’s Hall of Fame has passed away following a fight with cancer.
Sugar, a 16-year-old rescue dog from California’s Huntington Beach, died Monday while being held by her owner, according to an announcement on her social media account. The remarkable pup had claimed five world championship titles in dog surfing competitions.
“She lived to put smiles on faces, volunteer, to send it !! to change dog surfing forever !!! thank you for loving Sugar,” the post said. “Good bye my Sugar., i can’t believe in writing this .. i’m going to miss you so much.”
Originally discovered as a homeless stray, Sugar developed an extraordinary passion for ocean waves that transformed the sport of canine surfing. Crowds would gather to witness the small white dog, wearing her safety vest, expertly navigating her board through rolling waves toward the beach. Sometimes her owner Ryan Rustan would join her on the water, while other times she rode solo.
Earlier this year, Sugar achieved legendary status when her paw prints were permanently preserved in cement alongside those of celebrated human surfers at Huntington Beach’s hall of fame induction.
“This is just incredible. Dreams do come true even for a surfing dog and guys like me,” Rustan said at the ceremony.
Beyond her surfing achievements, Sugar dedicated her time on land to supporting military veterans through therapy work. The city of Huntington Beach honored her memory on social media, calling her a community icon whose loss is deeply felt.
“From inspiring the surfing world to advocating for rescue dogs and bringing comfort to veterans as a therapy dog, her impact reached far beyond the shoreline,” the post said.
