Bailey had not won the competition, but had performed solidly over the four days of competition and finished third in the overall standings in the TD Banknorth Festival at Fort Kent. The four days of competition will play a role in nominating biathletes for Torino in 2006 and determined the US Team for the five remaining Biathlon World Cup competitions this year.

The winners of the two Sprint competitions today were two Anchorage, Alaska natives, Jeremy Teela and Rachel Steer. The two veteran biathletes did exactly what was needed today to win. Steer who has been struggling with her prone shooting had only one penalty (in prone) today and cleaned the standing stage. “If you have watched me over the past four days, you can see that my standing is pretty solid, so if I get out of prone with only one penalty (like today), then I’m happy.” She easily outdistanced second place, Sarah Kamilewicz (Proctor, MN), who shot clean but finished 32.8 seconds back.

Third place went to Tracy Barnes (Durango, CO), with her first podium result of the four-day competition. Barnes, with one penalty, was only 2.1 seconds behind Kamilewicz. Following in close succession were Haley Johnson (Lake Placid, NY), with two penalties, 39.9 seconds back and Laura Spector (Lenox, MA), also with two penalties 52.8 seconds back. Both Tracy Barnes and Johnson train at the Maine Winter Sports Center.

US Army WCAP athlete Teela had the same number of penalties (three) as his Maine Winter Sports Center teammate Lowell Bailey. Teela, who yesterday said he was on a “mission to win or place second” in the final two competitions, sealed the deal by skiing the 10K course 28 seconds faster than Bailey. Analyzing his race on the clear 5 degree day, Teela commented, “I knew it would be a lot easier today if I hit the targets. I am just excited to have this week over.”

Tim Burke (Paul Smiths, NY), third today, has shared the podium positions with Bailey and Teela the past three days. He had four penalties today and finished 48.6 seconds back. Fourth went to Kevin Patzoldt (Grand Rapids, MN) with one penalty, 56.9 seconds back, followed by Robert Douglas (Honeoye Falls, NY), also with one penalty, 1:18.1 back.

The top four men in the overall best-three-of-four results were: Tim Burke, Jeremy Teela, Lowell Bailey, and Brian Olsen (Minneapolis, MN). Bailey added further comment on being in this elite group, “I have dreamed about this since I was five years old. Tim (Burke) and I have competed together since that time and it is really a thrill. Speaking for all of us (at a press conference) I think it really has not sunk in yet. It probably will in a few days when we get to the first World Cup in Ruhpolding (Germany).”

Rachel Steer, who topped the women’s overall results stated, “I still get a bit emotional when I think about making the team in 2002.” The top five women this week were: Rachel Steer, Tracy Barnes, Carolyn Treacy (Duluth, MN), Sarah Konrad, and Lanny Barnes.

The Barnes sisters were both thrilled that they will be together the rest of the winter. “We really wanted to have this experience together. I perform much better when she (Lanny) is there,” Tracy commented. She added, again for most of the athletes, “Our parents are our number one support system. They may not always be with us, but we know they are thinking of us and that is very important.”

The US Biathlon Team will leave this week to compete in the Ruhpolding World Cup next week and the Antholz (Italy) World Cup the following week.

Complete results for the four days of competition are available at the US Biathlon website, www.USBiathlon.org.

United States Biathlon Association is the National Governing Body for the sport of Biathlon in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Biathlon Union. The US Biathlon Association supports the US Biathlon Team and development of the sport on all levels within the United States.

TD Banknorth is the title sponsor of the US Biathlon Team. Lapua, adidas®, the Hilton Family of Hotels and Exel Ski Poles are supporting sponsors of the US Biathlon Team.