{"id":120367,"date":"2026-05-11T17:05:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T17:05:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/11\/10-years-later-stevie-smith-still-shapes-canadian-downhill\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T17:05:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T17:05:03","slug":"10-years-later-stevie-smith-still-shapes-canadian-downhill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/11\/10-years-later-stevie-smith-still-shapes-canadian-downhill\/","title":{"rendered":"10 years later, Stevie Smith still shapes Canadian downhill"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It has now been a decade. Way back on May 10, 2016, the downhill world lost one of the best to ever do it. Steve Smith passed away after a motorcycle accident. He was 26 at the time.<\/p>\n

Smith wasn\u2019t just another fast Canadian. He was the one. The rider who broke through, won at the highest level and made it feel like Canadians belonged there.<\/p>\n

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The year everything clicked<\/h2>\n

For Smith, everything came together in 2013. He won at Leogang, Hafjell and Mont-Sainte-Anne. Which led to the overall World Cup title; the high-water mark for Canadian downhill (until Goldstone\u2019s 2025 season). It wasn\u2019t just the results. It was the way he rode. Fast, aggressive and fully committed.<\/p>\n

More than just a result sheet<\/h2>\n

Smith\u2019s impact wasn\u2019t limited to podiums. He set a tone. For riders coming up behind him, he made the path clearer. It wasn\u2019t theoretical anymore. Someone had done it.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Sven Martin \/ Anthill<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A name that still runs through Whistler<\/h2>\n

In Whistler, his legacy is carved into the trail network. The 1199 track, named after his 2013 points total, was built as a tribute. The goal was to create something worthy of his riding. A proper downhill track that could stand on the world stage. And in 2026, it will be the eighth stop of the UCI World Cup tour. Finally, riders from around the world will get to race on this purpose built track.<\/p>\n

From Prevost to the world<\/h2>\n

Smith\u2019s riding started on Vancouver Island, on the steep, technical trails of Mt. Prevost. By the time he hit the World Cup circuit, he already had the skillset. What followed was the breakthrough.<\/p>\n

And then, for a brief stretch, dominance.<\/p>\n

Still part of it<\/h2>\n

Ten years on, Smith\u2019s name hasn\u2019t drifted into the background. It comes up in conversations. In start gates, comparisons and expectaions. Chainless chainsaws<\/a> brapping trackside from local races to the World Cup. Riders like Chainsaw don\u2019t leave the sport. They become part of it.<\/p>\n