Stevie Smith - How Far Does The Trail Go?

Legendary racer Steve Smith shares what it’s like to constantly push his own boundaries in How far does this trail go?, the final episode on the Crankworx community.

As the two-time winner of the Crankworx Whistler Canadian Open Downhill, Smith never stops nudging past his own limits and this year, the 25-year-old Cassidy, B.C. native paid the price for riding the edge.

After winning the Canadian downhill championships in Kamloops, Smith suffered his second ankle injury of the year, forcing him to watch the Crankworx event, rather than defend his title.

“Being injured is tough for me. I see everybody here having a great time and it’s just, (I’m) jealous I guess,” says Smith, who shares his story, and his thoughts on mountain biking, as he watches his friends compete.

Smith was at the very first Crankworx in 2004, as a Juvenile rider, and has steadily climbed the ranks of the UCI World Cup circuit by refusing to take it easy.
“As soon as you surpass one of your goals, that experience is no longer anything to you,” says Smith. “Back in the day, I just wanted to qualify for World Cup. Nowadays, if I’m not number one, it’s disappointing.”

Smith’s story is the final segment in a three-part program made possible by a TELUS Optik Local Community Programming Production Support grant. The Series highlights the many ways Crankworx draws new mountain bike enthusiasts into the fold, allowing riders of all levels and abilities to improve their skills, connect with the scene and, generally, push the boundaries of what is possible to do on a bike.