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CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Who's the top dog? Wave-riding canines compete in the World Dog Surfing Championships
Charlie Surfs Up barks as he is pushed through the breakers by Jeff Nieboer in the second heat of very large dogs during the World Dog Surfing Championships, on Aug. 3, 2024, in Pacifica, Calif. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard, File) PACIFICA, Calif. — Charlie the yellow lab likes surfing so much he'll grab his surfboard and run toward the water, so much so that his humans sometimes have to hide his board if they want to chitchat with friends on the beach. On Saturday, Charlie is set to join about 15 to 20 other canine wave riders to vie for top dog in the World Dog Surfing Championships outside San Francisco. The annual contest draws thousands of spectators to Pacifica State Beach. Participating pooches compete against similarly sized peers for a chance to appear in the finals. Additional heats feature multiple dogs surfing tandem on one board and dogs riding tandem with humans. Judges scrutinize how long dogs remain on boards, how long they can hold their balance and whether they perform any tricks like turn around while riding waves. Charlie, aged 10, is due to enter the extra-large single surfer heat. He'll also ride tandem with two other dogs, on what their owners call 'The Dream Team.' 'He loves the crowd,' said his owner, Maria Nieboer. In the ocean, Charlie and Maria's husband, Jeff Nieboer, prepare for waves together. When Jeff sees a good wave, he turns the board around and tells Charlie to 'get ready.' At that signal, Jeff pushes the board forward and Charlie scrunches down and rides the wave as long as he can. He can even steer it, at times leaning on the board to ride toward Maria waiting on shore. He doesn't have to be fed treats for any of this. 'Charlie does what Charlie wants to do once we're in the water,' Jeff said. Contest winners get medals and bragging rights. Charlies 'Dream Team' compatriot, Rosie, will be in four heats. The 4.5-year-old yellow lab's owner, Steve Drottar, said Rosie's 'stoked' after they go surfing, which they do four to five times a week at home in Santa Cruz. 'It's like, hey, we actually did something today, right? We did something together as a team,' Drottar said. 'And the fact that you can do something as a team with your dog creates a different bond than you have when you just take your dog for a walk.' He can tell Rosie feels a sense of accomplishment after surfing because she's extra happy and wags her tail extra hard. She snuggles up to Drottar even more than normal. 'It's like we go home on the couch and it feels like she's saying, 'Thank you,'' Drottar said. Audrey Mcavoy, The Associated Press
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Sudbury seeing an increased interest in cricket
One of the most popular sports in the world, cricket has seen a steady growth in the Sudbury-area over the last decade. Greater Sudbury's first cricket club says it is seeing more people interested in the sport. Tarang Ingle Tarang Ingle founded Greater Sudbury's first cricket club, the Big Nickel Cricket Club, in 2009. August 9, 2024. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News Northern Ontario) Tarang Ingle first founded the Big Nickel Cricket Club (BNCC) in 2009 out of a love of the sport and a desire to increase popularity in Sudbury and northern Ontario. He told CTV News interest was slow at first, starting with only four members. 'We played and we thought that we need to grow this game,' said Ingle. Now, more than a decade later, he said a lot has changed. 'From four players to now more than 100 plus players,' he said. 'It's an amazing growth that we have seen.' Big Nickel Cricket Club An undated photo of Sudbury's Big Nickel Cricket Club members. (Big Nickel Cricket Club/Facebook) Ingle said cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world, although less so in North America. In recent years, the sport has gained popularity in northeastern Ontario due to an increase in newcomers and international students. 'Most of the international students, they are coming in from different countries. They all have been playing cricket for all their life,' said Ingle. 'When they see that there is a big a cricket club, there is a cricket played in Sudbury, they are approaching us to see how they can join, even if they are not playing with hard ball.' Sudbury's premier cricket field is in the Greater Sudbury community of Capreol, built thanks to a partnership between BNCC and the City of Greater Sudbury. Shelley Walushka is the manager of community initiatives and partnerships for the city, she told CTV News that a second cricket club starting in Greater Sudbury and the Rainbow District School Board incorporating the sport into its curriculum. Cricket Sudbury - RDSB The Rainbow District School Board has added cricket to its curriculum based on the increased popularity of the sport and changing demographics. Lively High School students are shown playing the sport in this undated photo. (File photo/Amanda Hicks/CTV News Northern Ontario) Walushka also noted that there has been increased interest in cricket over the last decade and could see more growth with cricket set to be added to the 2028 Olympics. 'We definitely have seen an increase in interest in the sport, people wanting to play and get to know the game,' she said. 'Lots of newcomers in our community who are passionate about this game. The sport may be not that well known to many people in Greater Sudbury, but it's certainly growing in popularity and across North America.' This year, the city opened up Copper Cliff's baseball field for recreational play. 'It allows people who want to play on a bit more of an informal setting to play with a softball or tape ball cricket ball, which is great for accommodating the grassroots sport and just recreational play,' said Walushka. The city has also extended its Capreol pitch – which has a cement base and turf for hardball play. 'We also added site screen, which is the first of its kind in northern Ontario, which really accommodates holding more tournaments out of town,' Walushka said. 'Teams have come from all over northern Ontario in the GTA to play here.' Big Nickel Cricket Club - win The Big Nickel Cricket Club along with Greater Sudbury Ward 4 city councillor Natalie Labbee are shown with their trophy won a region the club hosted in July 2024. (Big Nickel Cricket Club/Facebook) Ingle said a site screen is beneficial to avoid distractions. Some fields in southern Ontario have them, and Ingle said players from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) have been impressed with Sudbury's setup. 'When the bowler is pitching the ball, the batsman is batting. If it's darker – because we play with white ball – so the darker background, he can see the ball clearly releasing from his hand,' he said, explaining some of the game mechanics. 'There is no distraction for the batsman and that's a very important thing to have in cricket and not much of the cities have it.' Walushka said the city hopes to one day add another cricket field – but there are specific requirements. Shelley Walushka Shelley Walushka is the manager of community initiatives and partnerships for the City of Greater Sudbury. August 9, 2024. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News Northern Ontario) 'To play hard-ball cricket, you need a lot of space,' she said. 'The field (in Capreol) is, you know, 400 feet in diameter. We have a pitch that I'm standing on here that is, you know, cement with that with a turf on top of it that really helps to accommodate the game.' Ingle said the BNCC has big plans for the future. Currently, the club is in the works of establishing an all-women's team. He said eight women are interested, and the hope is to create the team this fall, train over the winter and begin the team next season. Ultimately, though, the goal is to grow the game in northern Ontario. Shelley Walushka City of Greater Sudbury manager Shelley Walushka practices her cricket skills in Capreol on August 9, 2024. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News Northern Ontario) 'Ideally, we'd like one or two more grounds developed in the city or close by in the city where other people who cannot travel can also come and play,' he said. 'For that, you'd need to have some kind of floodlights done. It's a long way to go, but I'm pretty sure BNCC, along with City, we will achieve our goal very successfully.'
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Sudbury students learn cricket as sport's popularity grows
The Rainbow District School Board has added cricket to its curriculum. The Rainbow District School Board has added cricket to its curriculum based on the increased popularity of the sport and changing demographics. Through a program offered by the Ministry of Education, the school board was given roughly $10,000 last year to purchase equipment and train staff. This year, the school board was allocated $20,000 to continue building the sport locally. Matt Cootes, physical education coordinator with the school board, has taken the lead in training staff and students. Originally from Australia, Cootes said cricket has always been one of his favourite sports. 'I just love the game and there's a lot of transferable skills that students can take out of this,' he said. Cricket is hugely popular in countries such as India, Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia. Cootes said interest is increasing in North America. 'It's one of the largest growing sports in North America,' he said. Cricket Sudbury The Rainbow District School Board has added cricket to its curriculum based on the increased popularity of the sport and changing demographics. (Photo from video) 'We have students who are coming from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Australia, New Zealand, where it's a huge part of their culture. So we've been fortunate with this funding we can provide resources for our staff, time for training to help them improve their understanding of the game to bring it to students on a consistent basis.' Leah, a Grade 9 student, said she enjoys playing something different. 'It's similar to baseball and I've always played baseball,' she said. 'I like that it's different from other sports. It's not similar to volleyball or basketball or everything we've done all our lives, so it's fun to try something new.' Grade 9 student Dylan said he was playing cricket for the first time and enjoyed learning something new. 'I like the throwing aspect of it because we had to unlearn how we normally throw to learn how to throw in cricket, but it's really fun,' he said. Kim Chezzi, the physical education teacher at Lively Secondary School, said it's important for students to be introduced to a wide range of sports. 'I think it's a great opportunity that all students should have the chance to try a new sport, especially something cultural-based,' Chezzi said. 'That's something we're trying to bring into our schools, as well, multicultural because we do have a lot of people moving into Sudbury specifically and this is their national game.'
