ABOUT

the SHAPER

 Started surfing in 1984 at Costa da Caparica, where he surfed often until the early 90's. In the begining he already enjoyed to work with fibreglass, resin and polyurethane, repairing his and his friends boards, he even produced is own wax.

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At the end of the 80's he made his first surfboard with a friend, and that’s how Rush Surfboards born, then moved up to Costa da Caparica at 91' with a new name brand, Atitude Surfboards.

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In the summer of 84', he went to Praia da Areia Branca for the first time, and since then, he started to explore the surfing area between Santa Cruz to Peniche, where he spent his holidays and weekends till 1994, when he definitely moved to Areia Branca.

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 In 1994, with his wife (Helena), they founded the Backdoor Surf Shop at Lourinhã and later, a second Backdoor Surf Shop at Praia da Areia Branca.

He was one of the founders of P.S.C. (Praia Surf Clube), where he was the chairman and collaborator for several years.

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 In 2004, he met one of the new most talented shapers in Portugal, Hugo Cartaxanas, friend and owner of the famous S.P.O. (Surfing Professional Organisation), where names like Jeff Bushman (Hawaii), Bruce Mckee (Aus), Johnny Cabianca (shaper of Gabriel Medina), Jason Flanagan (Aus), Chris Hunt (Aus), and Fabio Figueiredo (Bra), etc. He learned with Hugo and others shapers how to work with the new pre-shape computer design technology, the D.S.D (Digital Surf Design), and other shaping and designing techniques.