The 19-year-old Old Victorian has won a 12-month professional contract with Headworx, a surf-style clothing label, to surf for their UK team.
Baker, who is at University in Falmouth studying Engineering Geology and Geotechnics, caught the eye after finishing fourth in the prestigious Headworx Pro Junior final, and went on to make the quarter-finals of the men’s Open, at Freshwater West in Wales.
Baker said: ‘I’m delighted.
I surfed well in Wales although I didn’t do that well in the final.
But I was happy because I was up against three professionals, two from South Africa and one from Australia.
‘I was really surprised when the phone call came from Headworx, it certainly came out of the blue.
Headworx is a great brand and they have some nice clothing.
‘I’ve met many of the pros already, they are great bunch, the surfers and the management team.’ Baker, who was born in Jersey but only starting surfing as a 13-year-old, added: ‘The Wales event was my first in 12 months as I’d been on a gap year travelling.
To reach the junior final was excellent.’ Headworx marketing director Ben Byfield said: ‘Fabian is a hugely exciting young talent.
After watching him take it to the UK’s top pros in Wales, there is no doubt he has a very bright future.’ Baker, who is on the first year of a three-year University course, will now look to emulate the feat of Guernsey’s Matt Le Maistre who won the Headworx-sponsored British University Surfing Championship in his first year.
They championships are at Fistral Bay in Newquay next March.
