The 16-year-old beat Slater 13.07 points to 9.60 in the ASP Rip Curl Pro today. He has sent his opponent into the elimination Round 2.

VIDEO: Watch the highlights from Round 1 of the Rip Curl Pro below.

“It was pretty fun out there, I got a couple of good ones," Willcox told awaiting media.

Willcox was winner of the yesterday's Moche trials and wildcard into this event.

"I was stoked to get the opportunity to surf against those guys in the trials, let alone win so I'm really happy,” he said.

“I got a few waves out here yesterday so I knew the banks pretty well and this is my second time competing in a WCT so I just knew I had to keep calm and it worked out pretty well.”

VIDEO: Watch the highlights from Moche trials and Jacob Willcox's Wave of the Day ride. 

Wilcox opened strong against his battle with the sporting icon, finding a big lefthand barrel to net an excellent 8.00 point ride.

“Kelly had priority and I was just up the beach a little bit more," Wilcox said.

"This left came and I just pulled into it and got a pretty good score. That got me rolling through the heat and I managed to get a couple other ones to back it up."

It is not the first time he has faced 11-time world champion Slater in competition; they shared a first-heat match at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in March, where Willcox came third after Slater and Adam Melling.

Just weeks earlier, Willcox had taken down WCT surfer Adriano DeSouza at the opening of the Margaret River Pro and was enjoying his big step into the world of competitive surfing.

"It's unbelievable to get the chance to surf against the best surfers in the world," he told the Augusta-Margaret River Mail at the time.

VIDEO: Margaret River teenager Jacob Willcox talks about what surfing means to him.

For full results and updates on the ASP Rip Curl Pro Portugal, visit Surfing Australia.