Steve Smith Memorial DH returns to Vancouver Island

Downhill racing returned to Vancouver Island over the weekend for the annual Steve Smith Memorial DH. Mount Washington hosted the race, held in memory of the late-Canadian racing icon. Gabe Neron sailed over from Squamish to take the men’s win while Eva Leikermoser pushed through a hefty mechanical to win the women’s race.

Neron takes on Laffey on home turf

After dueling in the Canada Cup series all season, Gabe Neron and Patrick Laffey kept the friendly rivalry going into the Steve Smith BC Cup race. Neron travelled over from Squamish to take on the Vancouver Island-based Laffey at Mount Washington.

By Sunday’s race, Neron was as comfortable as anyone can be on Mtount Washington’s long-serving and rough Monster Mile. The Dunbar/Corsa racer edged out Laffey by 0.46 seconds, setting a winning time of 3:34.89. Laffey takes second with Adam Woodhouse rolling in for third.

Leikermoser tuffs out 44-minute race run

With the Mount Washington BC Cup landing one week after the final Canada Cup, scheduling overlap with the Andorra World Cup and racing requiring off-island racers to brave weekend sailings on the beleaguered BC Ferries, there were smaller fields across all categories on Sunday. The elite men’s field barely hit double digits and Eva Leikermoser was left as the lone entry in the Pro Women’s field. A guaranteed win isn’t always guaranteed in downhill, though, and Leikermoser had to work for the W on Sunday.

A flat tire in the first corners of Monster Mile left Leikermoser riding out her race run on the rim. That lasted for a while before the tire came completely off the wheel and forced her onto foot for the remainder of the run. With the race being held in memory of Stevie, and a win still on the line, quitting wasn’t an option. Leikermoser hiked her way down to the finish line for a hard-earned, 44:46 finishing time to take the win.

Sophi Lawrence soars to the junior women's win. Photo: Sara Kempner

Ryder Wilson smooths out the Monster Mile rocks to win the under-17 men's race. Photo: Sara Kempner

Jonah Rickard put in a solid time to win the u17 Sport men's race. Photo: Sara Kempner

Caileigh Koppang led the under-15 women's racing. Photo: Sara Kempner

Junior and Under-17

While the pro fields weren’t as deep as expected, there were plenty of junior and under-17 racers to fill out the podiums at the Stevie Smith Memorial race. Sophi Lawrence led Sophia Ervington and Kayley Sherlock in the junior women’s race. Mavic Thorpe-Shaw set the fastest junior men’s time ahead of Jacob Quist and Griffin Tulk.

In the under-17 races, Mhairi Smart and Ryder Wilson earned wins at Mount Washington. Austin Makson and national champion Anthony Shelly joined Wilson on the u17 men’s podium. Maggie Sutherland and Emily Wilson took secondd and third behind Smart in the u17 women’s racing.

Tianna Smith is a tireless supporter of Canadian downhill and was at Mount Washington cheering racers and helping Brett Tippie hand out awards. Photo Sara Kempner

Neron on the top podium step again. Photo: Sara Kempner

Shoe-y's for Stevie!

The junior women's podium at the 2023 Stevie Smith Memorial DH. Photo: Sara Kempner

After the last rider finished their race run, Steve Smith’s mother, Tianna Smith joined Brett Tippie to help hand out medals. BC Cup racing heads to the Sunshine Coast next for the final event of the 2023 calendar.

Full category results from the 2023 Steve Smith Memorial DH.