Austrians finish 1-2 in U.S. Grand Prix; Holland 4th

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- Faye Gulini was racing for only the second time since tearing up her right knee 10 months ago.

It didn't show Sunday as she won the national snowboardcross title, making her the top American finisher at the U.S. Grand Prix at Park City's Canyons Resort.

"I needed this," said the 19-year-old Gulini, who hails from Salt Lake City. "I needed a little confidence booster, because I went to the last World Cup and it was really stressful. I was really nervous. But it is good to be back and hopefully it will carry over into the last two World Cups."

Canada's Dominque Maltais edged Gulini for the Grand Prix title to pocket the $10,000 winner's check, but Gulini took home the green jacket as national champ.

Austria's Markus Schairer and teammate Alessandro Haemmerle finished 1-2 in the men's snowboardcross finals, while 16-year-old Jarryd Hughes of Australia was third.

Nate Holland crashed after tangling with Hughes in the finals yet still claimed the national title as the top American male.

"Sitting one off the podium is a bittersweet spot; I remember this from the Olympics," said Holland, a six-time Winter X Games champion who finished fourth at the 2010 Olympics.

"I'm a little disappointed about the last heat, but excited about being national champion."

Hughes arced directly into Holland on the top of one feature, and Holland's board ended up on top of Hughes' board.

"When he rides away, it's just like the carpet gets pulled right out from underneath you," Holland said.

"I got up, knocked the snow off my goggles and all you can do is wonder if there's a pileup down below and there wasn't."

Instead, Schairer rode cleanly for the win and $10,000 prize.

"I was hoping to end up in the finals, so to win is just amazing," said Schairer. "The season has been just up and down, up and down. Now I'm up again and hope it stays like this."

Two-time Olympian Graham Watanabe, who said he was retiring after Sunday's race, was hoping to win it all but had to settle for winning the consolation finals and taking fifth on his home mountain.

"It's kind of the story of my career; I'm a fifth-place guy," said Watanabe. "If you look at my bio, there's a whole string of them. But it's definitely better to end the day with a win than a loss."

His father greeted him with a giant hug afterward. So did teammates, even if they didn't believe he would retire.

"I know Graham; he's got that competitive spirit. I just don't think it's his last race," Holland said. "He's going to take some time off, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him back in the start gate."

Watanabe will celebrate his 30th birthday with a trip in March to "chase down some of the best powder."

"Beyond that, it's leaving every door open and see what comes my way," he said.

Maltais followed up Canadian victories in Saturday's skicross championship.

"The conditions were really different today," Maltais said of heavy snow falling. "I had to put everything together. I had a really good semifinal with Alex (Jekova) so I knew I can beat her. She made a big mistake (in the finals)."

Jekova was leading the finals when she crashed, allowing Gulini to grab silver.

Austria's Maria Ramberger took third overall for the women, while Bulgaria's Alexandra Jekova was fourth.

Gulini, who took bronze at the event last year, couldn't have been happier. She had a half-dozen family members and even more friends cheering her on.

"This is by far the best place for me to podium," she said. "I'm home and got a lot of supporters and have been working hard, training harder than I ever have. I guess it paid off."

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.