Cheever fails in bid to repeat as U.S. snowboardcross champion

PARK CITY — Defending U.S. snowboardcross champion Jonathan Cheever joked that he was retiring after this race — from his moonlighting job as a plumber.

Instead, after failing Friday to qualify for the finals of the U.S. Grand Prix, Cheever likely will have to keep looking for those side jobs around Park City.

"It's tough to be surprised because I know I wasn't riding well," Cheever said afterward. "To be a top athlete and not perform is disappointing, especially at your home mountain."

He said he lacked aggressiveness, perhaps from a nasty crash he took in warm-ups Thursday after over-shooting the hip jump and going through the breakaway fences.

"I didn't attack today," Cheever said. "I always tell everybody it's better to be no time than slow time. I didn't listen to my own advice. I'll learn from it and look forward to the next race (in late February in Quebec). It's unfortunate I don't have a chance to defend my title."

Teammate Graham Watanabe, who actually is retiring after this race, finds himself entering Sunday's finals as the top American racer.

The 29-year-old Watanabe turned in the third-fastest time Friday on the course at Park City's Canyons Resort, behind Australia's Alex Pullin and Austria's Markus Schairer.

The top 32 advanced and Cheever, who has had four top-10 World Cup finishes this season, could manage only 34th.

"Graham is one of the best riders in the world," Cheever said. "He does have a lot of time on this course. He makes the best turns in the game and this is a course he'll excel on. With changing snow conditions, he's my pick to win this thing. It would be nice because it's supposed to be his last."

Taking second overall in the Grand Prix and winning the U.S. title jumpstarted Cheever's season a year ago, as he went on to win World Cup silver twice and finish No. 3 overall in the world.

Now he'll look for the boost in Quebec in two weeks, followed by a trip to Sochi, Russia, site of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

In the meantime, he'll probably have to keep that side job.

Before Friday's qualifying runs, Cheever reflected on being a blue-collar guy on the circuit.

He's had his share of spills, but none compare to what dumped out of a pipe he broke while moonlighting as a plumber a year and a half ago.