- Dale Begg-Smith
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Dale Begg-Smith Personal information Born 18 January 1985
Vancouver, British Columbia CanadaHeight 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) Weight 75 kg (170 lb; 11.8 st) Sport Country 
AustraliaSport Freestyle skiing Medal recordMen's freestyle skiing Competitor for AustraliaGold 2006 Turin Moguls Silver 2010 Vancouver Moguls FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships Gold 2007 Madonna di Campiglio Dual moguls Silver 2007 Madonna di Campiglio Moguls Bronze 2005 Ruka Moguls Dale Begg-Smith (born 18 January 1985 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) is an Australian-Canadian freestyle skier.[1] Begg-Smith won the gold medal for Australia, his adopted country, in the men's moguls event at the 2006 Winter Olympics and silver at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He is only the third Australian to win a gold medal in a Winter Games and the youngest to win an Olympic Gold in the history of mens freestyle mogul skiing.[2][3] In the lead-up to the 2006 Winter Games, Dale Begg-Smith had won three World Cup rounds and was ranked world number one in the moguls discipline.[4] In 2010, Begg-Smith's fourth World Cup title put him even with French Skier Edgar Grospiron for most World Cup wins.[5]
Contents
Early years and career
Begg-Smith was skiing for his native Canada as a teenager when his coaches told him he was spending too much time on his fledgling business, and not enough time in training. He subsequently quit the Canadian ski program because it clashed with his business interests and, along with his brother Jason Begg-Smith, moved to Australia at age 16.[2] The brothers chose to ski for Australia because the country had a smaller ski program that offered them more attention and flexibility. This ensured that they could still successfully manage their business. The brothers stayed out of competitive skiing for three years and instead trained with the Australian team, living in Jindabyne each winter. The pair qualified for Australian citizenship after these three years in 2003-04, and were then free to compete for their adopted country.[citation needed]
Alisa Monk, coordinator of the moguls program, says that she books Begg-Smith's hotels and flights economically, despite his wealth. "Wherever the team stays, he stays. There are certainly no big demands. You wouldn't know he had a bit of money." She also said, "When he is at Perisher he stays in the same hut as the other mogul skiers and his brother which is small and old and almost falling down", and that "He just doesn't try to stand out at all."[6]
Begg-Smith won silver at the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, leading to some complaints about biased-judging from members of the Australian coaching staff.[7][8][9][10][11] “Sometimes you’re in the good graces of the judges, sometimes you’re not,” Gold medalist Alex Bilodeau said. “Judged sports can’t be perfect. It can be a bad part of my sport. I see it. But everybody is going to be equal in the end.” [11]
He is considered a recluse by many, and has repeatedly refused to communicate with non-Australian media, Canadian media in particular.[12] NBC dubbed him "the most mysterious man of the Winter Olympics" in a piece aired on 14 February 2010, during the Vancouver games.[13]
Begg-Smith is a consistent qualifier for World Cup finals, in March 2010 he reached his 48th consecutive final leading Australian moguls coach to say of the accomplishment that "he always qualifies. He has now qualified for 48 straight finals, which is incredible - I don't know if that's a record or not, but I would presume it is."[14] This claim is disputed however as Begg-Smith has missed multiple events due to training or injury, such as his season ending surgery in January 2009.[15] It is unclear whether the coach was claiming whether he had qualified for 48 straight finals or 48 straight finals which he had competed in.
After the Haiti earthquake, Begg-Smith donated his prize money - about $13,670 - to earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.[14]
Business controversy
There are claims that his internet advertising business had been linked to the distribution of malware.[16][17] The Sydney Morning Herald reports that they had "...followed a trail of digital fingerprints scattered over the web which shows Mr Begg-Smith's long and rewarding involvement in the distribution of "malicious software".[10] Begg-Smith's manager, David Malina, said reports about his client's business had been "exaggerated", and that "it's not really something that he's involved with anymore ... he's minimised his involvement to concentrate on his sport."[10]
Honours
On 21 February 2006 Australia Post issued a postage stamp commemorating Begg-Smith's achievement, saying his gold put him in a "small and honoured group of athletes".[18] In 2005 Dale was awarded Ski and Snowboard Australia's Snowsports Athlete of the Year.[19]
Results
Olympic Results
Date Games Location Discipline Results Notes 15 February 2006 2006 Torino Olympics Sauze d'Oulx Men's Moguls Gold [20] 14 February 2010 2010 Vancouver Olympics Cypress Mountain Men's Moguls Silver [21] World Championship Results
Date Location Discipline Event Result 9 March 2007 Madonna di Campiglio, Italy Moguls 2007 Freestyle World Championships Silver 10 March 2007 Madonna di Campiglio, Italy Dual Moguls 2007 Freestyle World Championships Gold 19 March 2005 Ruka, Finland Moguls 2005 Freestyle World Championships Bronze World Cup Season Victories
Date Discipline 2005–2006 Moguls 2006–2007 Moguls 2007–2008 Moguls 2009–2010 Moguls World Cup Podiums
Date Location Discipline Place 18-03-2010 Sierra Nevada Moguls Silver 1-01-2010 Lake Placid Moguls Silver 16-01-2010 Deer Valley Moguls Silver 14-01-2010 Deer Valley Moguls Gold 09-01-2010 Calgary Moguls Gold 08-01-2010 Calgary Moguls Gold 08-03-2008 Are Dual Moguls Silver 07-03-2008 Are Moguls Gold 16-02-2008 Inawashiro Moguls Gold 20-01-2008 Lake Placid, NY Moguls Gold 18-01-2008 Lake Placid, NY Moguls Silver 03-03-2007 Voss Moguls Gold 02-03-2007 Voss Moguls Gold 24-02-2007 Apex Moguls Gold 18-02-2007 Listel – Inawashiro Dual Moguls Gold 06-02-2007 La Plagne Dual Moguls Gold 05-02-2007 La Plagne Moguls Bronze 06-01-2007 Mont Gabriel Moguls Gold 18-03-2006 Apex, BC Moguls Gold 01-03-2006 Jisan Forest Resort Moguls Gold 04-02-2006 Spindleruv Mlyn Moguls Silver 28-01-2006 Madonna di Campiglio Moguls Gold 22-01-2006 Lake Placid, NY Moguls Gold 20-01-2006 Lake Placid, NY Moguls Gold 13-01-2006 Deer Valley, UT Moguls Bronze 18-12-2005 Oberstdorf Moguls Gold 11-02-2005 Naeba Moguls Bronze 05-02-2005 Inawashiro Moguls Silver 29-01-2005 Deer Valley, UT Moguls Silver References
- ^ "Dale Begg-Smith - The Olympic hero of Australia". Olympic30. http://www.olympics30.com/30greatest/dale-begg-smith-iceman-skiing.asp. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
- ^ a b Baum, Greg (17 February 2006). "Golden boy of the slopes". The Age (Melbourne). http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/golden-boy-of-the-slopes/2006/02/16/1140064207497.html. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
- ^ Hine, Tommy (16 February 2006). "Ready for the conversion; Bloom sixth as thoughts turn to NFL; Dawson third". Hartford Courant (Hartford, Conn.): p. C.4.
- ^ "Dale begs the question: can Australia win a mogul medal in Turin?". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 January 2006. http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/dale-begs-the-question-can-australia-win-a-mogul-medal-in-turin/2006/01/23/1137864864166.html. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
- ^ "Begg-Smith wins another World Cup crown". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 March 2010. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/beggsmith-wins-another-world-cup-crown-20100319-qkre.html.
- ^ MX: "The Mouse who Roared" (Quiet Achiever infobox). 16 February 2006
- ^ Brodie, Will; Scott Spits (15 February 2010). "Dale Begg-Smith Wins Silver Medal" (in English). Brisbane Times (Fairfax Digital). http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/winter-olympics/australian-dale-beggsmith-settles-for-silver-20100215-o07b.html. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
- ^ Jeffery, Nicole (16 February 2010). "Dale Begg-Smith's Vancouver Olympics dream turns to slush" (in English). The Australian (News Limited). http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/dale-begg-smiths-vancouver-olympics-dream-turns-to-slush/story-e6frg7mf-1225830683994. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
- ^ "Australian official accuses judges of inflating Canada's score in men's moguls". The Province. 14 February 2010. http://www.theprovince.com/opinion/Australia+media+dubs+Begg+Smith+Miserable/2568131/Australian+official+accuses+judges+inflating+Canada+score+moguls/2565224/story.html.
- ^ a b c Silkstone, Dan (16 February 2010). "Dale cruelly written out of hosts' fairytale". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/sport/winter-olympics/dale-cruelly-written-out-of-hosts-fairytale-20100215-o2z9.html.
- ^ a b "Aussies claim Bilodeau's gold tainted". Toronto Sun. 15 February 2010. http://www.torontosun.com/sports/vancouver2010/news/2010/02/15/12887346.html.
- ^ Jeffery, Nicole (13 February 2010). "Dale Begg-Smith's bumpy road to glory" (in English). The Australian (News Limited). http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/dale-begg-smiths-bumpy-road-to-glory/story-fn4vwn8v-1225829865281. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
- ^ "2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver on NBC(com) - Updated May 18, 2011 5:29 PM". Nbc.com. 2011-05-18. http://www.NBC.com/olympics. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
- ^ a b "Dale Begg-Smith equals World Cup record". Herald Sun. 19 March 2010. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/dale-begg-smith-equals-world-cup-record/story-e6frfglf-1225842927131.
- ^ "Athlete:Dale Begg-Smith". Olympic Winter Institute of Australia. http://www.owia.org/athletes.cfm?AthleteID=20. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ "Australian press on Dale Begg-Smith and spyware". ZDNet. 4 March 2006. http://blogs.zdnet.com/Spyware/?p=786. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- ^ "The Olympic skier known as 'spam king'". CNET Networks. 17 February 2010. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10454774-38.html. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
- ^ Australia Post: "Australia Post to release Dale Begg-Smith gold medallist stamp". Retrieved 27 March 2006
- ^ "Dale Begg-Smith Profile". Ask Men. 20 March 2010. http://uk.askmen.com/celebs/men/celeb_profiles_sports/8_dale_begg_smith.html. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- ^ CTV, Vancouver Olympics, airdate 15 February 2010
- ^ a b c d "biographie". FIS-Ski. http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/613.html?sector=FS&listid=&competitorid=3725&type=result&rec_start=0&limit=100. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
External links
- Begg-Smith wins another World Cup crown The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 March 2010
- NBC Olympics Profile: Dale Begg-Smith
- Dale begs the question: can Australia win a mogul medal in Turin? The Sydney Morning Herald, 24 January 2006.
- 'Spam man' wins gold The Age, 16 February 2006.
- AP Winter Games Profile: Dale Begg-Smith
Olympic champions in freestyle skiing Men's Moguls 1992: Edgar Grospiron | 1994: Jean-Luc Brassard | 1998: Jonny Moseley | 2002: Janne Lahtela | 2006: Dale Begg-Smith | 2010: Alexandre BilodeauMen's Aerials 1994: Andreas Schönbächler | 1998: Eric Bergoust | 2002: Aleš Valenta | 2006: Han Xiaopeng | 2010: Aleksei GrishinMen's Ski cross 2010: Michael SchmidWomen's Moguls 1992: Donna Weinbrecht | 1994: Stine Lise Hattestad | 1998: Tae Satoya | 2002: Kari Traa | 2006: Jennifer Heil | 2010: Hannah KearneyWomen's Aerials 1994: Lina Cheryazova | 1998: Nikki Stone | 2002: Alisa Camplin | 2006: Evelyne Leu | 2010: Lydia LassilaWomen's Ski cross 2010: Ashleigh McIvorCategories:- 1985 births
- Australian freestyle skiers
- Sportspeople from British Columbia
- Living people
- Olympic freestyle skiers of Australia
- Sportspeople from Vancouver
- Freestyle skiers at the 2006 Winter Olympics
- Freestyle skiers at the 2010 Winter Olympics
- Australian people of Canadian descent
- Olympic gold medalists for Australia
- Olympic silver medalists for Australia
- Australian businesspeople
- Canadian emigrants to Australia
- Olympic medalists in freestyle skiing
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