Northland's biggest - and possibly only - dog swimming race returns to Opua this weekend.
Every year, the Bay of Islands top dog paddlers compete to be the first to swim from a barge to the shore at Opua's Beechy St while their owners urge them on.
For the past two years, the trophy has been won by Max, a powerful swimmer who won every race he entered last year.
His canine rivals will try to end his reign at the Opua Community Regatta from 9am to 2pm this Sunday, February 23.
The event starts with beach games at 9.30am (including tug-of-war, jandal throwing and egg-and-spoon races) and a scavenger hunt from 10.30am.
