FORT KENT – For some, the icy weather was a hindrance on the course and on the range. For others, the freezing rain that fell at the 10th Mountain Ski Center didn’t matter and even made things fun.

Regardless of the weather, shooting well was the most important condition for athletes in Thursday’s individual event of the U.S. Olympic biathlon trials. Denise Teela of Jericho, Vt., did just that.

Teela had only three penalties in the course of four shooting stages to win the opening event of the Olympic trials, touring the women’s 15-kilometer course in a final time of 50 minutes, 25 seconds.

Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting at targets. The top five women and top four men in these trials, which run through Jan. 3, will advance to the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, in February.

Jacob Beste of Underhill, Vt., also recorded just three penalties, which would turn out to be crucial because he was outdueled by Maine Winter Sports Center team member Tim Burke of Paul Smiths, N.Y., in the final loop of skiing. Beste finished first in the men’s 20K race with a time of 1 hour, 32.5 minutes.

Burke had five penalties, but made up about one minute on Beste in the last four kilometers. He finished 38.5 seconds behind Beste.

About 150 spectators watched the two races Thursday morning. Today’s pursuit competition has been pushed back to an 11 a.m. start for the men and approximately 11:30 for the women.

Bethann Chamberlain, who is now based in Bethel but is from Grand Rapids, Minn., finished second in the women’s race with three penalties, followed by MWSC athlete Lanny Barnes of Durango, Colo. Teela is a member of the Army’s World Class Athlete Program but trains in Fort Kent.

Brian Olsen, a Minneapolis native who now lives and trains in Fort Kent, was third in the men’s race.

The two top-ranked U.S. women, Rachel Steer and Jill Krause, both had disappointing individual races. Steer finished 15th overall and Krause was 17th. Denise Teela’s husband, Jeremy Teela, who is one of the top-ranked men, was sixth.

In the individual race, competitors start at 30-second intervals and complete four shooting stages, alternating between prone and standing positions, and five skiing stages. Each competitor is assessed a one-minute penalty for each missed shooting target.

Denise Teela shot clean in both of her prone shooting stages, missed one target in her first standing stage and two in her second standing stage. Through the ice and rain, Teela said she was able to hear coach Steve Hall telling her to focus and relax.

“It just came together today and I think the approach meant a lot and just staying calm and maintaining focus,” she said.

All three of Chamberlain’s penalties came in the first standing stage, and Barnes tallied just two penalties – the best shooting of the day for both men and women – with both coming in the standing stages.

“I think the biggest concern today was not flying over the mats, because they were icy,” Teela said.

Chamberlain was 1:07.50 behind Teela and Barnes was 1:20.60 behind.

“I thought it was kind of a fun shooting day,” Barnes said. “I like it when it’s kind of adverse conditions. It was tough, but it was fun.”

Laura Spector of Coleraine, Minn., finished fourth and Sara Granroth, a Yarmouth native now living in Underhill, Vt., was fifth.

Steer had 11 penalties and finished 8:03.90 behind Teela.

“It was just a really bad day,” said Steer, who declined to comment further.

Krause had so much ice in her sight for the final shooting stage that she had to blow into the sight to clear it. She finished with 13 penalties and was 9:32.8 behind the leader.

“I think it was nerves for shooting and the points were really slippery for standing,” Krause said after she and Steer took about a 20-minute cool-down ski. “Other than that it was just nerves for me. That happens. But there’s three more races. Rachel and I both know we can make the team, so we’ll go for that.”

Beste recorded his three penalties in the first two stages and shot clean from there. Known as more of a sprinter, Beste said he just needed to be consistent. That was especially important with Burke one minute behind.

“I felt like if I just keep skiing consistent loops, I’d stay in it. After having three penalties I thought that was probably decent shooting to be in the top five somewhere.”

Burke had a disappointing start to his race, with three penalties in the first shooting stage alone. But he rallied with one penalty in the second stage and another in the fourth.

The key for Burke was fast skiing. His ski time of 56:11 was second only to Lowell Bailey, who toured the course in 55:22 but racked up seven penalties.

“I struggled right away shooting,” Burke said. “I knew I just had to pick it up in every lap. My last lap, I knew five penalties wasn’t great shooting, but I knew I was going well and I had to put it all down. … It wasn’t a great shooting day, but I’ve got to be happy.”

The conditions didn’t faze Beste, a veteran of World Cups and world championships.

“When we race in Europe there are so many different conditions that this is just kind of typical,” he said.

Bailey, a Lake Placid, N.Y., resident and MWSC athlete, was fourth. Ben Byrne, a junior-level skier from Bovey, Minn., finished fifth overall. It was likely the first 20K race of his career – the longest distance junior men ski is 15K.