- John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier
The John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier is an annual
curling bonspiel held at the Ottawa andRideau Curling Club s inOttawa ,Canada . In odd years, the event is a qualifier for the men'sCanada Cup of Curling while in even years the event is the women's qualifier. It is held annually in December, and is part of theWorld Curling Tour .The current rotating format begun in 2006, when Ottawa hosted the JSI Women's Canada Cup Qualifier. The other qualifier is held annually at the
Saville Centre inEdmonton, Alberta and is known as theDiversified 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 2007 event gave away $76,000.
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.
Champions
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