Ep.8/ Nick Uricchio

Nick Uricchio was born in 1958 in West Hartford, Connecticut (USA). He began surfing in California at the age of 15 and traveled to Europe in 1978, where he fell in love with Portugal. He returned in 1979 to stay. Together with Nuno Jonet, he started making skateboards in Lisbon.In 1980, he moved to Costa de Caparica and, along with António Pereira Caldas, founded one of the first surfboard factories in Portugal - Lipsticks Surfboards.In 1982, Nick and his close friend Miguel Katzenstein moved to Ribamar, Ericeira, aiming to “plant” a new surfboard brand in the market - Semente (“seed” in Portuguese). Choosing Ericeira, considered the mecca of Portuguese surfing, allowed Nick to refine his shaping skills through constant contact with high-quality waves, talented surfers, and skilled shapers.His own surfing experience and feedback from a solid team of surfers helped Semente meet the needs of both Portuguese and international riders. Over the years, he has worked with many of Portugal’s top surfers, with his boards achieving strong results in the World Junior Tour, QS, and CT events.In 2015, Nick Uricchio was voted “Shaper of the Year” at the first “Ondas de Ouro Surf Awards” in Portugal.All Semente boards are designed by Nick himself, and he is comfortable making any type of board you need. His philosophy has always been to keep a personal connection between shaper and surfer - something he has no plans to change.