Jonathan Cheever has his good buddy and fellow rider Nick Baumgartner to thank.
The close friends found themselves up against one another in their first heat of the day Saturday at the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix at Canyons Resort. After Baumgartner fell behind on turn five, he knew the only way he could get past him was to push Cheever into the fences on turn six.
“Ain’t doing that to him,” said Baumgartner following his elimination. “Not that guy.”
On Saturday, Baumgartner’s sacrifice helped Cheever take second place in the Grand Prix, earning him a ceremonial U.S. SBX Champion green jacket. Canada’s Kevin Hill finished first overall; Cheever was the top U.S. athlete and U.S. champion.
Cheever, 25 and a native of Saugus, Mass., has called Park City his home for some time now and calls Canyons his home resort.
“I’m just pumped to get the national champion title at my home mountain,” Cheever said. “My parents flew out to see me, so that makes it a little sweeter.”
The U.S. champion held no remorse for finishing second in the Grand Prix. He said every heat he raced in was stacked and he is grateful for the opportunity to don the green jacket.
“To compete with those guys was great,” he said. “Kevin Hill, who won today, was unstoppable.”
Baumgartner, who won the Winter X Games boardercross gold medal a couple weeks ago in Aspen, Colo., said his relationship with Cheever was a determining factor in the decision to play it safe in the first heat.
“I made a mistake,” he said. “I’m not going to take him out because of my mistake.”
Cheever was appreciative.
“I’m thankful for that,” he said. “This sport can get a little dangerous. He kept it safe.”
A professional snowboarder by day, Cheever’s night job is arguably less glamorous but more practical.
On his online bio, he calls himself a “licensed, journeyman plumber.”
Now, he’s a journeyman plumber who owns a U.S. SBX Champion green jacket and is looking forward to carrying that momentum into the World Cup circuit next week in Quebec.
“This is a good way to carry me through the end of the year,” he said.
As Cheever passed the finish line second Saturday afternoon, Baumgartner was the first one to congratulate him. Cheever said it meant a lot coming from one of his best friends on the tour.
For the Park City resident, second place never felt so good.