# #183. Luke Meier-Smith’s Unreal Rise: He Almost Quit… Now He’s a World Cup Winner

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/moving-the-needle-the-andrew-neethling-podcast-561616/183-luke-meier-smith-s-unreal-rise-he-almost-quit-now-he-s-a-world-cup-winner
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/moving-the-needle-the-andrew-neethling-podcast-561616/183-luke-meier-smith-s-unreal-rise-he-almost-quit-now-he-s-a-world-cup-winner.md
Podcast: [MOVING THE NEEDLE : The Andrew Neethling Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/moving-the-needle-the-andrew-neethling-podcast-561616)
Published: 2026-03-24T16:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://movingtheneedle.podbean.com/e/183-luke-meier-smith-s-unreal-rise-he-almost-quit%e2%80%a6-now-he-s-a-world-cup-winner/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/m7yt6bs8wgp83n9q/Luke_Meier_Sbqmlo.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/moving-the-needle-the-andrew-neethling-podcast-561616/episodes/183-luke-meier-smith-s-unreal-rise-he-almost-quit-now-he-s-a-world-cup-winner
Duration seconds: 4565

## Resource

Luke Meier-Smith went from growing up on a small avocado farm in Australia to standing on top of a World Cup podium — but the path there was anything but smooth. In this episode, Luke opens up about injuries that nearly ended his career, the mental battles of racing at the highest level, and the breakthrough moment where everything finally clicked. He dives deep into his first World Cup win, the unexpected changes that made the difference, and what it really feels like when years of work pay off in one run. We also get into Hardline, the evolving World Cup format, and the reality of chasing consistency in one of the most competitive eras downhill has ever seen. 🌎 Get the Exclusive NordVPN deal here ↣ https://nordvpn.com/needle It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! 👍

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## Transcript

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