History of Semente Surfboards
Birthplace of Semente Surfboards is Ericeira, Portugal. The brand was founded in 1982 by Nick Uricchio and Miguel Katzenstein. Where else should the two set up a brand and surf shop than in Ericeira, one of the best surf spots in Europe right below the legendary right-hander wave "Coxos".
The driving force of the two was of course the passion for surfing and making surfboards. The name Semente in German "seed" was chosen to present the basis of the project, namely to grow and flourish in the future.
The geographical choice of location was both a blessing and a curse at the beginning, Ericeira was a dream for surfing, perfect waves and few surfers in the lineup. The empty lineup was due to the small population of Ericeira and the few and bad roads. In the beginning, visits from potential buyers were rather rare. Over time, Ericeira began to make a name for itself in the surfing vocabulary as a hot spot in Europe. Business began to flourish and more and more surf enthusiasts from many countries sought their way to this surfing paradise.
Semente has had a huge impact on surfing in Portugal and its progress through her passion and involvement in surfboard building. Since day one, Semente has been working with top surf pros from Portugal. Amateurs and ambitious surfers from all over the world knocked on Semente's doors and wanted to work with them. The constant evolution of surfboards, both in design and materials, has kept Semente at the forefront and allowed them to pass this on from generation to generation.
Ericeira is now considered one of the surf meccas in Europe. Semente Surfboards was there from the beginning and still is. Nick and Miguel remain partners and would like to thank everyone who made this trip possible.
Shaper Nick (see image 2)
The quality of the waves and exposure to excellent surfers and like-minded shapers have taken Nick's shaping skills to a high level over the years. Being able to surf and test your own boards, as well as being able to rely on feedback from a solid team, has enabled Semente to meet the wishes and requirements of surfers for many years. Nick has worked with the best surfers in Portugal throughout his career, the list of national champions is long. In 2015, Nick was voted Shaper of the Year at the inaugural Golden Globes of Surfing.
Image 1: Cox's Tiago Pires - One Perfect Day
Image 2: Shaper Nick Uricchio
Video: Segments Surfboard Shaping Process