Paerson Wins Super-G; Americans Finish 2-3

Defending overall champion Anja Paerson of Sweden won a World Cup super-G race in a snowstorm Friday at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and Americans Julia Mancuso and Lindsey Kildow finished second and third.

Mancuso earned her first World Cup podium finish, .034 of a second behind Paerson, who covered the Olympia delle Tofane course in 1 minute 16.75 seconds. Kildow was 0.78 back; Janica Kostelic was fourth and remained the leader in the overall World Cup standings.

Mancuso finally reached the podium after four fourth-place finishes the last two seasons. She won two bronze medals at last season’s world championships.

“World championships and Olympics are more prestigious events, but I feel more confident having a podium on the World Cup,” Mancuso said.

The Turin Games begin Feb. 10.

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Arbitrators denied snowboarder Chris Klug’s challenge over selection criteria for the U.S. Olympic team, meaning the 2002 bronze medalist won’t be on the team heading to Turin.

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Andy Finch and Lindsey Jacobellis, U.S. medal hopefuls in the halfpipe and snowboard cross disciplines at the Olympics, were injured while practicing for the X Games, which begin today at Aspen, Colo.

Finch injured his foot during practice, and although X-rays were negative, he’ll miss Monday’s halfpipe final.

Jacobellis overshot a jump and experienced pain in her knee, causing her to err on the side of caution and pull out to rest her knee for the Olympics.

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Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto won the ice dancing competition at the Four Continents figure skating event in Colorado Springs, Colo.

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Skier Bode Miller suggested in an interview with Rolling Stone that Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong took performance-enhancing drugs.

“Right now, if you want to cheat, you can: Barry Bonds and those guys are just knowingly cheating, but there’s all sorts of loopholes,” he told the magazine. “If you say it has to be ‘knowingly,’ you do what Lance [Armstrong] and all those guys do, where every morning their doctor gives them a box of pills and they don’t ask anything, they just take the pills.”

Bonds’ agent, Jeff Borris, declined to respond to Miller’s comments. Telephone and e-mail messages left by the Associated Press were not immediately returned by Armstrong’s representatives.

BASEBALL

Red Sox Get Crisp From the Indians

The Boston Red Sox acquired outfielder Coco Crisp from the Cleveland Indians to replace Johnny Damon as their center fielder and leadoff hitter.

Along with Crisp, Cleveland sent reliever David Riske and backup catcher Josh Bard to Boston for reliever Guillermo Mota, third base prospect Andy Marte, catcher Kelly Shoppach, a player to be named and cash.

Earlier in the day, the Indians sent reliever Arthur Rhodes to Philadelphia for outfielder Jason Michaels, the probable replacement for Crisp as Cleveland’s starting left fielder.

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Washington National outfielder Jose Guillen said a shoulder injury might force him to sit out as much as the first month of the regular season.

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Mark Prior and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a $3.65-million, one-year contract, $900,000 more than the salary the pitcher would have earned under the contract he voided in November.

JURISPRUDENCE

Ex-Laker Rider Faces Kidnapping Charges

Former NBA player Isaiah Rider appeared in a Marin, Calif., court to face kidnapping charges but did not enter a plea because he did not have a lawyer. Rider, 34, was released from Marin County Jail on $2-million bail.

Rider was the fifth overall pick by Minnesota in the 1993 NBA draft and spent the 2000-01 season with the Lakers.

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Washington Redskin safety Sean Taylor faces up to 46 years in prison after two additional assault charges were filed against him in Miami.

Taylor, 22, now faces three counts of aggravated assault, each of which carries a minimum sentence of three years and a maximum of 15 years in prison.

His trial is scheduled to begin March 20.

MISCELLANY

Kenseth Extends Deal With Roush Racing

Former NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth has signed a multiyear contract extension with Roush Racing.

Kenseth, who won the final Winston Cup title in 2003, has been part of Jack Roush’s organization since 1999 and has 10 Cup wins, three poles, 51 top-five finishes and 99 top-10 finishes.

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Special-teams standout Kassim Osgood agreed to a four-year contract with the San Diego Chargers.... The New Orleans Saints hired former St. Louis Ram interim coach Joe Vitt as linebacker coach.

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John Fitzgerald completed 18 of 32 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores to help the Austin Wranglers beat the Las Vegas Gladiators, 64-46, at Austin, Texas, in the first Arena Football League game of the season.

Craig Whelihan completed 21 of 38 passes for 330 yards and six touchdowns for the Gladiators.

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Amy Rodriguez, Jessica Rodstedt and Lauren Chemey each scored a goal to lead the United States to a 3-2 soccer victory over Canada in the Under-20 CONCACAF World Cup final qualifier at Veracruz, Mexico.

Nancy Gandarilla scored twice in a 4-1 win over Jamaica that gave Mexico the last spot in the World Cup.

The U.S., Canada and Russia will participate in the Cup this year in Russia.