Dale Begg-Smith’s Olympic moguls gold medal is a winner for winter sport in Australia.

Bouyed by Begg-Smith’s performance in Torino, the Australian Olympic Committee today announced a major boost in funding for winter sport.

AOC President John Coates is looking to increase funding by $250,000 a year after the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

“The extra funding will greatly assist all our athletes as they prepare for the Vancouver Winter Games in 2010” Coates said.

The AOC has increased funding by $100,000 a year in 2006 and 2007 from $650K to $750K and then it will rise by a further quarter of a million dollars a year post 2008.

“We should reach the magic million mark after Beijing,” Coates said.

The AOC channels its funding through the Olympic Winter Institute (OWI) which runs programs across Winter sports.

The OWI is jointly funded by the AOC and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) an arm of the Federal Government.

“I am sure the ASC will now match our funding increase dollar for dollar,” Coates said.

AOC