John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier
Encyclopedia
The John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier was an annual curling
bonspiel held at the Ottawa
and Rideau Curling Club
s in Ottawa
, Canada
. In odd years, the event was a qualifier for the men's Canada Cup of Curling while in even years the event is the women's qualifier. It was held annually in December, and was part of the World Curling Tour
.
The rotating format begun in 2006, when Ottawa hosted the JSI Women's Canada Cup Qualifier. The other qualifier was held annually at the Saville Centre in Edmonton, Alberta and was known as the Diversified Transportation Canada Cup Qualifier. In 2004, Ottawa hosted the Canada Cup East Qualifier for both sexes (the 2005 event was canceled). Prior to this, the event had nothing to do with the Canada Cup, and was known as the Cowan Wright Beauchamp - The Championships (2001-2003) and the Welton Beauchamp Curling Classic (until 2000). The event has been running since at least 1989. There was also a women's event.
The purses for the event have often been quite high, and was at $100,000 at one point. The 2008 event gave away $65,200.
Mike Harris' victory in 1996 and Brad Gushue's victory in 2004 gave them berths to Canada's Olympic qualifying tournaments which they eventually won. Gushue would win Olympic Gold at the 2006 Winter Olympics, while Harris won silver at the 1998 Olympics.
The event last occurred in 2008. There was no Canada Cup in the 2009-10 curling season, canceling the 2009 tournament. The Canada Cup returned in December 2010, the same time as the qualifiers used to be. It is unclear if the "JSI" will return for 2011, or if it will be replaced by another major tournament. The local qualifier for the 2010 Canada Cup of Curling
was the Challenge Casino Lac Leamy
.
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
bonspiel held at the Ottawa
Ottawa Curling Club
The Ottawa Curling Club is an historic curling club located in downtown Ottawa on O'Connor Street. It is the oldest curling club in Ottawa, established in 1851 by Allan Gilmour as the Bytown Curling Club. The Club first played on the Rideau Canal until 1858...
and Rideau Curling Club
Rideau Curling Club
The Rideau Curling Club is a curling facility and organization located in Ottawa, Ontario. Founded in 1888, the Rideau Curling Club maintains a rivalry with the Ottawa Curling Club.-History:...
s in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In odd years, the event was a qualifier for the men's Canada Cup of Curling while in even years the event is the women's qualifier. It was held annually in December, and was part of the World Curling Tour
World Curling Tour
The Asham World Curling Tour is a group of curling bonspiels featuring the best male curlers in the world. A Women's World Curling Tour also exists....
.
The rotating format begun in 2006, when Ottawa hosted the JSI Women's Canada Cup Qualifier. The other qualifier was held annually at the Saville Centre in Edmonton, Alberta and was known as the Diversified Transportation Canada Cup Qualifier. In 2004, Ottawa hosted the Canada Cup East Qualifier for both sexes (the 2005 event was canceled). Prior to this, the event had nothing to do with the Canada Cup, and was known as the Cowan Wright Beauchamp - The Championships (2001-2003) and the Welton Beauchamp Curling Classic (until 2000). The event has been running since at least 1989. There was also a women's event.
The purses for the event have often been quite high, and was at $100,000 at one point. The 2008 event gave away $65,200.
Mike Harris' victory in 1996 and Brad Gushue's victory in 2004 gave them berths to Canada's Olympic qualifying tournaments which they eventually won. Gushue would win Olympic Gold at the 2006 Winter Olympics, while Harris won silver at the 1998 Olympics.
The event last occurred in 2008. There was no Canada Cup in the 2009-10 curling season, canceling the 2009 tournament. The Canada Cup returned in December 2010, the same time as the qualifiers used to be. It is unclear if the "JSI" will return for 2011, or if it will be replaced by another major tournament. The local qualifier for the 2010 Canada Cup of Curling
2010 Canada Cup of Curling
The 2010 Canada Cup of Curling was held December 1-5, 2010 at the Medicine Hat Arena in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The Glenn Howard rink won their first Canada Cup on the men's side while Stefanie Lawton won her second cup...
was the Challenge Casino Lac Leamy
Challenge Casino Lac Leamy
The Challenge Casino Lac Leamy is an annual bonspiel, or curling tournament, on the World Curling Tour. It is held annually in late October in Gatineau, Quebec. It is sponsored by the Casino du Lac-Leamy...
.
Champions
| Year | Winning skip |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Marie-France Larouche Marie-France Larouche Marie-France Larouche is a Canadian curler.Larouche is a former national junior curling champion, having won the title in 1999 with her team of Nancy Bélanger, Marie-Ève Létourneau, Valerie Grenier and Véronique Grégoire. Larouche won the championship after four previous unsuccessful attempts... |
| 2007 | Kevin Koe Kevin Koe Kevin Koe is a Canadian curler. Originally from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, he now resides in Grande Prairie, Alberta and curls out of Edmonton, Alberta. He is the skip of the current World champion team.... |
| 2006 | Jennifer Jones Jennifer Jones (curler) Jennifer Jones is a Canadian curler from East St. Paul, Manitoba. Jones, a lawyer, is corporate counsel for Wellington West Capital and a Windsor Park Collegiate graduate.-Early success:... |
| 2005 | canceled |
| 2004 | Brad Gushue Brad Gushue Bradley Raymond "Brad" Gushue, ONL is a Canadian curler from Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador. Gushue, along with teammates Russ Howard, Mark Nichols, Jamie Korab and Mike Adam, represented Canada in curling at the 2006 Winter Olympics, where they won the gold medal by defeating Finland... (men's), Jo-Ann Rizzo (women's) |
| 2003 | Jeff Stoughton Jeff Stoughton Jeff Stoughton is a Canadian curler. Stoughton is a three-time Brier champion and two-time World champion as skip.-Career:... (men's), Brenda Nicholls (women's) |
| 2002 | Glenn Howard Glenn Howard Glenn Howard is a Canadian curler from Penetanguishene, Ontario. He has won three Briers and three world championships in his career. He has also won six straight Ontario provincials.-1980s-2006:... (men's), Janet McGhee (women's) |
| 2001 | Wayne Middaugh Wayne Middaugh Wayne Middaugh is a Canadian curler from Victoria Harbour, Ontario.Middaugh is a two-time world champion, once as second for Russ Howard in 1993 and as a skip in 1998. He has participated and won in seven and participated in 11 Briers- in 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994 as Russ Howard's second and in... (men's), Elisabet Gustafson Elisabet Gustafson Elisabet Gustafson is a retired Swedish curler, world champion and Olympic medalist. She received a bronze medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano... (women's) |
| 2000 | Wayne Middaugh Wayne Middaugh Wayne Middaugh is a Canadian curler from Victoria Harbour, Ontario.Middaugh is a two-time world champion, once as second for Russ Howard in 1993 and as a skip in 1998. He has participated and won in seven and participated in 11 Briers- in 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994 as Russ Howard's second and in... |
| 1999 | Mike Harris Mike Harris (curler) Mike Harris is a Canadian curler. Mike Harris is the golf professional at The Donalda Golf and Country Club in Toronto, Ontario.... |
| 1998 | Mark Olson |
| 1997 | Rich Moffatt Rich Moffatt Rich Moffatt is a Canadian curler from Ottawa, Ontario. In 1999, he became only the third curler to skip an Ottawa-area team at the Brier. He currently plays third for Bryan Cochrane.... |
| 1996 | Mike Harris Mike Harris (curler) Mike Harris is a Canadian curler. Mike Harris is the golf professional at The Donalda Golf and Country Club in Toronto, Ontario.... |
| 1995 | Larry Pineau |
| 1994 | Dan Mustapic |
| 1993 | Ed Werenich Ed Werenich Edward Werenich is a Canadian curler. Nicknamed "The Wrench," Werenich has been known to be a colourful and outspoken character. Outside of curling, Werenich worked as a firefighter.... |
| 1991 | Ted Butler |
| 1990 | Ted Butler |
| 1989 | Eugene Hritzuk Eugene Hritzuk Eugene Hritzuk is a Canadian curler from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He is a former World Senior men's champion skip.Hritzuk has won two provincial championships as skip, once in 1985 and again in 1988. This qualified him for the Brier both times. At the 1985 Labatt Brier, he finished the round robin... |