About Esbjerg The Daily Pebble sbjerg, Denmark, will Volume 1, Issue 3 Monday, Feb. 14, 2011 host the 2011 World Find us online: www.usacurl.org * http://2011usacurlingnationals.com E Women’s Champion- ship March 19-27. Esbjerg is Man meets the Sea: Visitors arriving in Esbjerg from the ** The Valentine’s Day issue** nestled in the Jutland peninsula in south-western sea are greeted by Svend Wiig Hansen’s monumental Denmark and is home to approximately 114,000 sculpture "Man meets the Sea,” which was raised on the inhabitants. It was labeled Denmark’s gateway to occasion of Esbjerg celebrating its 100th anniversary as the West and is still an important Danish port. an independent municipality in 1994. Love on the Rocks Esbjerg has a temperate climate with high levels of Trivia answers: humidity and unpredictable weather changes. The By Andrea Kopischke just the two of 1) Cassie Potter (2005) and Ann Swisshelm (2001) them, she pro- summer months May to August are the best time to recipe for Love on the Rocks posed. visit with temperatures ranging around 25°C, but at 2) Kevin Kakela (Team Disher), may read as follows — mix one times, it can get uncomfortably hot with tempera- Mike Farbelow (Team Jacob- A sheet of ice, two curlers and a “I bought a son), Greg Romaniuk (Team tures reaching 35°C. pebble of smitten. ring so it would Birr), Gabrielle Coleman (Team be easier for him to say yes and for it to Doug and Allison Pottinger met at the Reiser), Ann Swisshelm (Team be official,” said Allison. A thriving fishing industry made the city’s harbor the Brown) and Caitlin Maroldo World Curling Championships in Bran- hub of major economic activity. With the discovery (Team Lank) don, Manitoba. Allison was competing in Doug not only said yes, but proposed of oil and natural gas in the North Sea, Esbjerg has the games while Doug was working on back to Allison later in the Duluth Sky- 3) Allison Pottinger (Team Pot- the ice crew. Now, 16 years later, they way. also become Denmark’s prime player in offshore oil tinger) have been married for more than 11 They have been happy and busy ever drilling activities. years, they have two beautiful daugh- 4) Todd Birr, 2007 since. They have to balance working, ters, Lauren who is 4-years old and To learn more about the 2011 Women’s Worlds curling and taking care of their daugh- 5) 1978, Bob Nichols Kelsey, who is 2-years-old and they are go to http://www.wwcc2011.com. Tomorrow we’ll ters. Did you get all five right? Good job! Pat yourself on the back both competing in the USA Curling Na- preview the Men’s Worlds in Regina. for your curling know-how. tionals this week. “We make our schedules opposite of each other so we’re gone on different After dating for a few years, Allison weekends,” said Doug. Allison & Doug Pottinger met at a curling event wanted Doug to put a ring on it, how- and eventually married and started a family all ever, she felt he wasn’t in any rush Since they both have to be gone from while keeping up with their careers and competi- because his brother had been dating their home in Eden Prairie, Minn., they tive curling aspirations, which led Allison to the the same woman for 13 years. Allison are happy their parents live close by so 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Allison skips Team knew she had to they can watch the girls. Pottinger while Doug plays second on Team Birr. take matters into Even though they stay busy with life, her own hands. they still make time for each other. While they were They said they like to play their favorite having Thanksgiv- Inside this issue: sport on Tuesday nights. And what Thank you to our sponsors: ing dinner, with Trivia Time 2 sport might this be? Curling, of course! Game match-ups 2 Off and Running 3 A Chat with Stan Baer 3 Game Results & Standings 3 50/50 raffle tickets can be purchased daily starting at 3:30 p.m. with winners announced nightly. Winners aren’t expected to buy beers for The Daily Pebble Follow USA Curling on Facebook & Twitter About Esbjerg 4 staff but it’s encouraged. Just kidding...but you should still buy a ticket. Go to the USA Curling Sponsors 4 Wii station in the concourse and by a ticket today! Page 2 The Daily Pebble Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 3 Monday’s Match-ups: Standings Martin Sather (left) and Women: Dean Gemmell of Team Draw 7, 8 a.m., women: Patti Lank 3-0 McCormick lean into their Off and running Pottinger v. O’Leary Allison Pottinger 3-0 sweeping positions. By Ben Tucker Erika Brown 2-1 Team Brown’s lead, Haag v. Karst Norma O’Leary 2-1 Jeremiah Dotlich (below), argo Nationals are off to a Cassie Potter 2-1 Haase v. Brown good start thanks for the went for the Valentine Jenna Haag 1-2 draw made by Stan Baer. Mohawk. Reiser v. Potter F Nicole Reiser 1-2 Stan threw the ceremonial first rock, Aileen Sormunen 1-2 Lank v. Sormunen an in-turn draw. Carolyn Nelson was Chrissy Haase 0-3 holding the broom for him to aim at. Draw 8, 12 p.m., men: Lori Karst 0-3 Stan had asked her for an in-turn with plenty of ice. Brown v. Disher Game scores, Draw 3: Hamilton v. Goodland Stan says it was the most pressure Lank 9, Reiser 4 he had ever felt standing in a curling Pottinger 9, Haase 4 McCormick v. Fenson hack. He has been playing this game Potter 8, Karst 4 since the Fargo club was a small two- O’Leary 8, Sormunen 7 (extra end) Jacobson v. Larway sheeter where Fargo North High School now stands. In fact, his construction Brown 7, Haag 3 Photos of George v. Birr company helped build that two-sheeter. He also helped build the four-sheet Game scores, Draw 5: Draw 9, 4 p.m., women: club that they currently use. Potter 9, Sormunen 5 Reiser 7, Brown 4 Karst v. Sormunen Stan has been in this game a long time. According to him, that was the Lank 5, O’Leary 4 the day Brown v. O’Leary Haag 8, Haase 7 reason he was selected to throw the Reiser v. Haag ceremonial first rock. Seniority may Pottinger 8, Karst 2 also have been a factor when the Fargo Pottinger v. Lank -Moorhead Curling Club asked Carolyn Grace Gabower of Team Haag takes a moment Men’s Standings: to hold the broom with Keith “Pudgy” Pete Fenson 3-0 Potter v. Haase to relax during round robin action Sunday. A Trivia Time Gilleshammer and Bruce Bernstein Todd Birr 2-1 sweeping. Their ages might have very focused Heather Van Sistine of Team Karst Draw 10, 8 p.m., men: Tyler George 2-1 shown by their looks of their historic eyes the broom at the other end of the sheet as The Daily Pebble: 1) Name two 2011 Nationals competitors who have Matt Hamilton 2-1 Goodland v. Birr corn brooms. she prepares to deliver a stone Sunday. Terry Kolesar, Editor won the Francis Brodie Sportsmanship Award pre- Heath McCormick 2-1 sented at the World Women’s Championship Carolyn, Pudgy, and Bruce all have Jerome Larson, Fenson v. Disher Craig Brown 1-2 championships and titles to their names Photography Craig Disher 1-2 2) Six 2011 Nationals competitors have won the Ann but they didn’t have to Jacobson v. Hamilton Zach Jacobson 1-2 Rick Patzke, Brown Sportsmanship Awards, which are presented throw this pressure rock. Jason Larway 1-2 Assistant Editor annually at the National Championships. Three men, Brown v. George Stan did. The in-turn draw Geoff Goodland 0-3 Contributing writers: three women. Name them. nestled nicely into the four Andrea Kopischke & Larway v. McCormick foot. Keith Bistodeau, 3) Which 2011 Nationals competitor has won the U.S. Game scores, Draw 4: The 2011 Men’s and North Dakota State George 7, Jacobson 6 title a USA Curling record nine times? Women’s Curling Champi- University; Regan McCormick 9, Brown 6 Mizuno, San Francisco onships are off to a nice 4) Who was the last U.S. skip and cur- Larway 13, Goodland 6 Bay Area Curling Club; start indeed. Thank you, rent competitor to win a medal at the and Ben Tucker Stan Baer. Birr 8, Disher 2 Men’s World Championship? What Fenson 8, Hamilton 2 The Daily Pebble can be year? found online as well: Game scores, Draw 6: 5) When was the last time the U.S. men www.usacurl.org/ George 9, Disher 4 curlingrocks won gold at the World Champion- Birr 7, Larway 4 ships? Who was the skip? Fenson 6, Jacobson 2 Comments? Send an email to Terry Kolesar at Answers can be found on the back page so Hamilton 9, McCormick 5 [email protected] keep reading! Brown 6, Goodland 5 .