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Words: Daisy Maddinson || Photo: Sven Martin
When Plato, Aristotle and Socrates contemplated the meaning of life, I very much doubt they were having visions of a man hurtling downhill as fast as humanly possible on a bicycle. Yet somehow, Canadian mountain biker Stevie Smith built a legacy worthy of Plato’s primary concept in a mere 26 years. His unwavering belief propelled him to become the best in the world and inspired everyone he touched and still touches to believe in their own impossible dreams.
For many of us watching Anthill Films’ new documentary, Long Live Chainsaw, the audio of Stevie saying he worries about growing old and having nothing to show for it echoes deep in our subconscious. After all, as self-aware human beings, most of us – at least deep down – want to know that our lives have purpose and meaning. However, while the legacies of us mere mortals are likely to be the impact we have on the people around us, for some, the universe has a more grandiose plan.
Growing up in Cassidy on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Stevie’s surroundings left little to be desired. His mom, Tianna Smith, raised him and his sister, Kara, in a one-room wide trailer by herself, often getting by on $400-500 a month. In her words, they were dirt poor. But supported by the community, they made it work, and Stevie’s mentor and ‘big brother’, Bill Monoghan, exchanged a dozen pies for a BMX to get him on his first bike. Tianna always made sure Stevie had access to riding bikes, often shuttling him for hours just to keep him out of trouble. Of course, like a lot of kids, he still found trouble, but she remembers him admitting that if he hadn’t been riding, he would’ve probably been doing drugs just as hard as he rode his bike.
Known for his wild spirit and insane talent between the tape, the irony of Stevie’s worry for growing old and accomplishing nothing of significance isn’t lost all these years later. Bolstered by hundreds of BMX races and, subsequently, even more laps of his local downhill trails at Mount Prevost, Stevie’s riding career took off when he was introduced to Gabe Fox, who said ‘There was no doubt about it, he was fast as hell, and he was going to succeed’. Forging a lifelong friendship, Gabe put Stevie on the Cove Shop Team the very next day and continued to nurture his riding for the rest of his career.
Whether or not his humble beginnings impacted his ability to laser focus on what he wanted to get out of life, Stevie’s passion and drive for bikes was insatiable. The UCI World Cup scene was dominated by Europeans until 2013 when Stevie, aged 23, took three consecutive World Cup wins to claim the series overall title – a first for any Canadian downhill rider. The reality of this achievement wasn’t just an accolade for Stevie, it was a gateway for all Canadian riders, paving the way for the next generation on the world stage. ‘I think the strongest part of his legacy was that he not only taught us to believe in ourselves but also in each other. we work together, push harder and celebrate with each other… there’s immense pride to be a Canadian racer and follow in Stevie’s footsteps’, says pro rider Miranda Miller, who’s known him since they were teenagers.
After his death in 2016, the mountain bike community’s recognition of Stevie’s achievements both on and off the racecourse, as well as the inspiration and love he gave to so many, compelled the creation of the Stevie Smith Legacy Foundation. The foundation, which is committed to creating opportunities to support elite Canadian gravity racers as they strive to achieve their dreams of competing on the world stage, partnered with Velosolutions and the City of Nanaimo in 2017 to build the Stevie Smith Memorial Park Pumptrack, the largest of its kind in North America. The pumptrack acts as a symbol for the positive power of mountain biking and its ability to transform young men and women into champions – both on the track and in their own lives.
Proving that Canadians could participate at the sport’s highest level, Stevie continues to be a source of inspiration for young riders today. Those include racers competing at an elite level, like Canadian World Cup racer Finn Iles, who says that ‘If you have someone to look up to and build to, then you always have something to strive for.’
Stevie’s humble, approachable personality, mischievous grin, and wildly exciting riding style continue to captivate people of all ages. Summarised perfectly by former World Cup racer Steve Peat, ‘He got in people’s hearts, he won fans, and those fans are going to follow him forever.’
Long Live Chainsaw, the true story of the meteoric rise, untimely death and long-lasting legacy of Stevie Smith, is available for digital download. All proceeds go directly to the Stevie Smith Legacy Foundation.
By Daisy Maddinson, a writer for Anthill Films.
If you enjoy reading this, you should check out the Hurly Burly. It’s got many features like it, plus round-by-round accounts of the UCI Downhill World Cup and pore over hundreds of the best images of the season in Hurly Burly Book.
