Manuel Pirujinho joins Semente’s team

Manuel “Pirujinho” Couto has just been announced as the newest team rider for Semente Surfboards. The talented surfer from São João do Estoril officially joins the Ericeira-based surfboard brand’s tea lineup.

After working closely with Semente’s shaping crew for some time now, Pirujinho has shown major progression in his technical surfing, backing it up with solid results and some standout titles along the way.

The 16-year-old is the current Portuguese Under 16 Champion and Under 18 National runner-up. He also claimed the Under 16 and Under 14 national titles in 2023. On the Liga MEO Surf, Portugal’s top national tour, Pirujinho now sits among the country’s Top 16 surfers, finishing the 2025 season ranked 15th. He also posted the best result of his young career on the national championship with an impressive 3rd place finish at the Santa Bárbara event in Ribeira Grande, Azores.

Part of Portugal’s new wave of surfing talent, Pirujinho’s work ethic, consistency, and steady progression earned him a spot on the Portuguese Junior National Team, representing the country at the 2025 ISA World Junior Surfing Games in Peru.

Looking ahead to the new season, his goals are clear: win the Under 18 national title, crack the Top 10 on the Liga MEO Surf, make noise on the global stage at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships, and stand out on the European Pro Junior tour.

Adding a cool twist to the story, Manuel Pirujinho is following his father footsteps, José “Pirujinho” Couto, who was part of Portugal’s legendary “Golden Generation” of surfing in the ’90s. For nearly a decade, José ranked the national Top 16 and was also a Semente team rider back in the day.

“Joining the Semente team means a lot to me,” said Pirujinho. “It’s a surfboard brand I’ve been working with for a while now, and my dad used to surf these boards too. It’s pretty cool knowing he was sponsored by Semente and joined the team back in 1993—and now I’m keeping that legacy. We’ve been doing great work together and building a strong relationship. I’ve always loved the boards, and I’m stoked we get to keep pushing forward. The boards feel magic—like they just keep getting better—and this is an amazing opportunity for my career.”

From Semente’s side, the feeling is mutual: “We’re really stoked to welcome Manuel Pirujinho to our team. It feels like a full circle moment—his father rode for Semente in the ’90s, and now Manuel is carrying that legacy forward with our brand. It’s been rewarding working with Pirujinho; he’s a talented, driven surfer, and we’re excited about what’s ahead. He plays an important role in the new generation of Portuguese surfing, and we’re proud to be part of his journey and his goals. Welcome to the team, Pirujinho!”