Surfing Hall of Fame Welcomes Sugar the 'Rescue' Dog to its Realms

The rescued pup has made a huge impact on the surfing community and now she is being immortalized with a new title.

Surfers enjoy good wave conditions with offshore winds. The start of a beautiful beach day gets underway in Seaside Park. Seaside Park, NJ Saturday, August 10, 2024 / Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Every dog has its day, and for Sugar it was December 5 of 2024 when she placed her paws in wet cement at Huntington Beach to solidify her indictment into the Surfer's Hall of Fame. Sugar is the first ever canine to snag this title, and it appears that her fame is on the up and up.

Since her first introduction to water on a bodyboard in a pool, Sugar has been decorated with 19 titles including several World Dog Surfing Championships, Surf City Surf Dog, Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge titles and now an immortalization in the Surfer's Hall of Fame. Her name will join surfing icons such as 11-time world champion Kelly Slater and eight-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore.

Tandem surfing at its finest

🏄‍♂️🐶: Sugar the Surfing Dog
📽️: Corey Colapinto pic.twitter.com/grXd8rM2Vc

— Surfline (@surfline) February 19, 2020

Not only has Sugar made an unforgettable mark on the sport of surfing, she has also changed the life of her owner and has made a huge impact on society.

Before finding Sugar, Ryan Rustan battled with mental health and drug issues until his late 20s when he and Sugar first met on the streets of Oakland California about 13 years ago. The pup was in pretty rough shape, missing three bottom teeth, but Rustan took her home and nursed her back to health, introducing her to the water by putting her on a bodyboard in his pool. He then introduced her to the ocean, bringing her onto his board with him at Huntington Beach, and later, she was presented with her very own surfboard. The rest is history.

Although winning this title is a major honor, it isn't all about the competitions. "She does a lot of surf therapy for lots of kids,” said Rustan. “It’s not just [about] surfing against people but also putting smiles on the little kids’ faces and the athletes that are disabled. She gets to ride with them.”

After the ceremonial placing of the paws in wet cement on December 5, Rustan expressed his appreciation for the momentous occasion, "I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams that [Sugar] is exactly why I’d turn my life around, right here. This is just so special.”

All seven Huntington Beach City Council members attended the ceremony and newly appointed Mayor Pat Burns and Mayor Pro Tem Casy McKeon each gave remarks. Surfer Hall of Fames' founder Aaron Pai had the honor of officially crowning Sugar with the title.