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Allison Pottinger's rink ready to join forces on Team North America

Olympian Allison Pottinger ready for return to Continental Cup
Lethbridge Ab.Ford Womans World Curling Championship 2012.U.S.A. skip Allison Pottinger. CCA/michael burns photo
American Allison Pottinger is excited to play in her second WFG Contintental Cup hosted by Penticton from Jan. 10 to 13

As the 2013 World Financial Group Continental Cup nears, American skip Allison Pottinger is getting excited.

Born in Brampton, Ont., but residing in Eden Prairie, Minn., Pottinger said it’s a fun experience and great to curl with the top teams in the world in front of appreciative fans.

One thing she looks forward to is teaming up with Canada’s Heather Nedohin. During the 2012 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship, Pottinger lost a tie-breaker to Nedohin and missed out on the playoffs by a single point.

“Heather and her team are great people and great competitors so we are excited,” wrote Pottinger in an email. “We understand how important team work is to the success of Team North America and can’t wait to be part of the broader team.”

Pottinger has some experiences behind her that she can use in Penticton during the Continental Cup held Jan. 10 to 13 at the South Okanagan Events Centre. The first came in 1996 when she won a silver medal as part of U.S. team skipped by Lisa Schoeneberg.  Three years later she earned another silver playing second for Patti Lank. Pottinger got her first taste of gold in 2003 throwing third rocks for Debbie McCormick in the Ford World Women’s Curling Championship in Winnipeg, and then earned a third bronze in the 2006 Ford World Women’s in Grande Prairie.

After appearing with McCormick in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Pottinger moved on to skip her own team.  Playing out of the St. Paul Curling Club in Minnesota, she’ll be joined by teammates Nicole Joraanstad, Nathalie Nicholson and Tabitha Peterson.

Having played in the Continental Cup before, minus Peterson, Pottinger said they will have lots to contribute.

“We understand how important it is to bond as a team and how important each point is to the success of the overall team,” she said. “We have played skins before and mixed doubles so that experience will help a great deal.”

Pottinger is looking forward to the skins game the most.

“Games are always very exciting and seem to almost always come down to the last ends so that is probably one of the best parts,” said Pottinger, who has curled for 27 years.  “Also being able to mix up teammates and get to know other players better.”