Video: Behind the scenes at Crankworx with Steve Smith

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.

The first episode, Brad's Big Day, featured Brad Bethune, an amateur rider from Whistler who competed in the 2014 Canadian Open Enduro and the second, 8 Awesome Things With the Goldstones, featured a family of mountain bike enthusiasts who participate in Kidsworx and the Crankworx festival as a family. All three episodes are available for free on demand on TELUS Optik TV.

A gathering of the bike-minded, Crankworx is mountain biking’s definitive celebration. It brings together the world’s downhill, slopestyle and enduro legends with the superfans, rising stars, industry innovators and the next generation of mountain bike riders for ten days of contests, concerts, culture and cranking. Nowhere else exposes the cult of the fat tire from as many angles, with as much spectacle and celebration. Anointed by dirt, aligned with gravity, powered by passion - Crankworx combines it all.

TELUS Optik Local Community Programming seeks to support programming and projects that reflect the local community, a diversity of voices, innovative ideas and alternative views on existing or emerging issues of importance in the communities it serves, featuring local places and events in arts, culture, education and sport.

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