Amid the many congratulatory messages new Australian moguls star Cooper Woods received after his Olympic debut, one from the "top dog" of the sport stood out.
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Former Olympic champion and Australia's first mogul medallist Dale Begg-Smith sent the 21-year-old a text to not only congratulate him on his sixth-placed performance, but to tell him he was robbed.
Woods had never met Begg-Smith, who disappeared off the radar after he won Olympic gold in 2006 and a controversial silver four years later in Vancouver.
He didn't know that the Carribbean-based business man still watched moguls or how he got his number.
But he was blown away that Begg-Smith took time to find it and to message him.
"He sent me a message that congratulated me on the event," Woods told AAP.
"He wrote; 'I thought you deserved third place. You went really well. All the best - Dale.
"It was just a small message but it was from the top dog - he was one of the greatest in the sport.
"For him to watch and say I did well, it's a just a massive confidence boost."
Woods has the same coach, Steve Desovich, who Begg-Smith had while in the Australian team.
Begg-Smith was also a mentor for current Olympian Matt Graham when he was starting out.
Canadian-born Begg-Smith was always a controversial figure due to his business outside skiing, that reportedly made computer spyware and turned him into a millionaire.
Woods, who was only 10 when Begg-Smith competed in 2010, said all he recalled from the competition was that the Australian skier should have won gold, with the medal instead going to local hero Alexandre Bilodeau.
The young Australian said the message from Begg-Smith had motivated him to do even better in Cortina, Italy, at the next Olympics.
His sixth place in Beijing exceeded expectations after Woods only made a Super Six final once before in his career, but he said he was already hungry for more success.
Having already left Beijing with the Olympic aerials team, Woods is heading to his home in Pambula on the NSW far south coast where he's looking forward to some surfing and family time.
The Australian skiers still have two World Cup events to round out the season, in Italy and France next month, with gold medal-winning Jakara Anthony looking to take out the overall title.
Australian Associated Press
