World Cup spots set in distance races

 MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Nick Pearson was a surprise winner over Olympic team favorite Jondon Trevina on Sunday to earn a spot on the U.S. squad for the World Cup speed skating competition.
 Making the team is a first step toward qualifying for Olympic competition at Nagano, Japan, next February.
 Pearson, a high school senior from Mukwonago, Wis., won the 5,000 meters in 7 minutes, 7.19 seconds. He joined Olympic medal contenders KC Boutiette and Dave Tamburrino on the World Cup team.
 Pearson was paired with Trevina, the U.S. record holder at 10,000 meters, in a tight race until the ninth of 12 1/2 laps. That's when Pearson picked up the pace and Trevina, of Fort Collins, Colo., couldn't respond, finishing in 7:14.37.
 Derek Parra, of Dover, Del., was second in 7:10.93 to take the fourth spot for World Cup events.
 Catherine Raney, a Brookfield, Wis., high school junior, qualified for the World Cup team by taking second in the 3,000 meters, behind converted inline skater Jennifer Rodriguez of Miami, Fla. Rodriguez won in 4:26.42, while Raney's time was 4:32.56.
 Earlier, Boutiette, Tamburrino and Kirstin Holum, a Milwaukee high school senior, were named to the World Cup team based on performances last season.
 Skaters for the Olympic men's 5,000 and women's 3,000 will be decided in World Cup competition starting Nov. 29-30 in Berlin, Germany.
 Berths in other Olympic speed skating events will be determined in upcoming World Cups as well as Olympic Trials starting Dec. 26 in Milwaukee.