The Players' Cup, previously known as the Players' Championship, is the final event of the Grand Slam of Curling tour, and is formerly the championship of the World Curling Tour season.
From 2016 to 2019, it was the penultimate slam of the curling season, and the last of the four "majors". The event was one of the original Grand Slam events when they were instituted in the 2001–02 season for men and for the 2005–06 season for women.
History The event began as the "VO Cup" before the Grand Slam era in 1993, as part of the very first World Curling Tour season. The event was known as the VO Cup for two seasons before title sponsor Seagram's Distillery pulled out. With no sponsor, the 1995 event was saved at the last minute, and continued the next season thanks to a TV deal with TSN.
A women's event was introduced in 2006.
From 2007 to 2009, it was a qualifying tournament for the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials, and had barred foreign teams from entering (unlike the other Slams). Scotland's Eve Muirhead became the first non-Canadian skip to win the event in 2013, while Sweden's Niklas Edin became the first non Canadian skip to win the men's event in 2017.
To date, Edmonton's Kevin Martin has won the most Players' Championships with 8. On the women's side, Winnipeg's Jennifer Jones (and her long-time second, Jill Officer) have won the most championships with 6.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both the 2020 Players' Championship and the 2020 Champions Cup were cancelled.
Qualification The top 12 teams on the men's and women's WCT year-to-date rankings respectively qualify for the event. Teams that decline their invitations are replaced by the next highest ranked team.
Format Since 2023, and from 2014 to 2021, the event featured 12 teams split into two pools of six which compete in a round robin, with the top six teams advancing to a single game elimination playoff. In 2021, the number of teams earning playoff berths was reduced from eight. The 2022 event was a triple knockout.
Past champions Men Year Winning team Runner-up team Location Purse 1993 Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Peter Corner Paul Savage, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Todd Tsukamoto Calgary, Alberta $120,000 1994 Kevin Martin, Kevin Park, James Pahl, Don Bartlett Ed Werenich, John Kawaja, Pat Perroud, Neil Harrison Calgary, Alberta $100,000 1995 (Apr.) Murray McEachern, Rick Schneider, Daryl Nixon, Larry Schneider Brad Heidt, Mark Dacey, Wayne Charteris, Dan Ormsby Selkirk, Manitoba $75,000 1995 (Dec.) Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey Dale Duguid, Dan Carey, Russ Hayes, Doug Armstrong Jasper, Alberta $106,000 1997 Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Scott Patterson, Phil Loevenmark Randy Woytowich, Rick Schneider, Brian McCusker, John Grundy Winnipeg, Manitoba $60,000 1998 Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Rudy Ramcharan, Marcel Rocque Vic Peters, Dave Smith, Chris Neufeld, Don Harvey Fort McMurray, Alberta $60,000 1999 Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Peter Corner, Neil Harrison Winnipeg, Manitoba $150,000 2000 Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Don Bartlett Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey Winnipeg, Manitoba $150,000 2001 Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Don Bartlett Calgary, Alberta $150,000 2002 Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey Vic Peters, Mark Olson, Chris Neufeld, Steve Gould Strathroy, Ontario $150,000 2003 Jeff Stoughton, Jon Mead, Garry Van Den Berghe, Jim Spencer John Morris, Joe Frans, Brent Laing, Craig Savill Leduc, Alberta $150,000 2004 John Morris, Kevin Koe, Marc Kennedy, Paul Moffatt Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Don Bartlett St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $150,000 2005 Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Don Bartlett Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Mike Adam, Jamie Korab St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $150,000 2006 David Nedohin, Randy Ferbey (skip), Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Carter Rycroft, Adam Enright Calgary, Alberta $150,000 2007 Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert Blake MacDonald, Kevin Park, Carter Rycroft, Nolan Thiessen Calgary, Alberta $100,000 2008 Glenn Howard, Richard Hart, Brent Laing, Craig Savill Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert St. John's, Newfoundland $100,000 2009 David Nedohin, Randy Ferbey (skip), Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque Glenn Howard, Richard Hart, Brent Laing, Craig Savill Grande Prairie, Alberta $100,000 2010 Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Ryan Fry, Jamie Korab Dawson Creek, British Columbia $100,000 2011 Kevin Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy, Ben Hebert Niklas Edin, Sebastian Kraupp, Fredrik Lindberg, Viktor Kjäll Grande Prairie, Alberta $100,000 2012 John Epping, Scott Bailey, Scott Howard, David Mathers Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Brent Laing, Craig Savill Summerside, Prince Edward Island $100,000 2013 Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Brent Laing, Craig Savill Mike McEwen, B. J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, Denni Neufeld Toronto, Ontario $100,000 2014 Kevin Martin, Marc Kennedy, David Nedohin, Ben Hebert Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E. J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden Summerside, Prince Edward Island $100,000 2015 Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E. J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden Mike McEwen, B. J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, Denni Neufeld Toronto, Ontario $100,000 2016 Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff Walker Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E. J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden Toronto, Ontario $100,000 2017 Niklas Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Rasmus Wranå, Christoffer Sundgren Mike McEwen, B. J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, Denni Neufeld Toronto, Ontario $150,000 2018 Kevin Koe, Marc Kennedy, Brent Laing, Ben Hebert Niklas Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Rasmus Wranå, Christoffer Sundgren Toronto, Ontario $150,000 2019 Brendan Bottcher, Darren Moulding, Brad Thiessen, Karrick Martin Kevin Koe, B. J. Neufeld, Colton Flasch, Ben Hebert Toronto, Ontario $150,000 2020 Cancelled 2021 Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan Jr. Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, Geoff Walker Calgary, Alberta $175,000 2022 Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan Jr. Niklas Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Rasmus Wranå (3 player team) Toronto, Ontario $175,000 2023 Kevin Koe, Tyler Tardi, Brad Thiessen, Karrick Martin Benoît Schwarz, Yannick Schwaller (skip), Sven Michel, Pablo Lachat Toronto, Ontario $175,000 2024 Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, E. J. Harnden, Geoff Walker Joël Retornaz, Amos Mosaner, Sebastiano Arman, Mattia Giovanella Toronto, Ontario $175,000 2025 Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan Jr. Benoît Schwarz-van Berkel, Yannick Schwaller (skip), Sven Michel, Pablo Lachat Toronto, Ontario $175,000 2026 (Jan.) Ross Whyte, Robin Brydone, Craig Waddell, Euan Kyle Kyle Waddell, Mark Watt, Angus Bryce, Blair Haswell Steinbach, Manitoba $175,000
Women Year Winning team Runner-up team Location Purse 2006 Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Georgina Wheatcroft Cheryl Bernard, Susan O'Connor, Carolyn Darbyshire, Cori Bartel Calgary, Alberta $100,000 2007 Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Dawn Askin Kelly Scott, Jeanna Schraeder, Sasha Carter, Renee Simons Calgary, Alberta $100,000 2008 Amber Holland, Kim Schneider, Tammy Schneider, Heather Seeley Krista McCarville, Tara George, Kari MacLean-Kraft, Lorraine Lang St. John's, Newfoundland $100,000 2009 Jennifer Jones, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer, Dawn Askin Shannon Kleibrink, Amy Nixon, Bronwen Webster, Chelsey Bell Grande Prairie, Alberta $100,000 2010 Cheryl Bernard, Susan O'Connor, Carolyn Darbyshire, Cori Bartel Crystal Webster, Lori Olson-Johns, Samantha Preston, Stephanie Malekoff Dawson Creek, British Columbia $100,000 2011 Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn Askin Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Alison Kreviazuk, Lisa Weagle Grande Prairie, Alberta $100,000 2012 Stefanie Lawton, Sherry Anderson, Sherri Singler, Marliese Kasner Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jenna Loder, Ashley Howard, Breanne Meakin Summerside, Prince Edward Island $100,000 2013 Eve Muirhead, Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams, Claire Hamilton Maria Prytz, Christina Bertrup, Maria Wennerström, Margaretha Sigfridsson (skip) Toronto, Ontario $100,000 2014 Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn McEwen Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Alison Kreviazuk, Lisa Weagle Summerside, Prince Edward Island $100,000 2015 Eve Muirhead, Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams, Sarah Reid Anna Sidorova, Margarita Fomina, Alexandra Saitova, Ekaterina Galkina Toronto, Ontario $100,000 2016 Eve Muirhead, Cathy Overton-Clapham, Vicki Adams, Sarah Reid Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn McEwen Toronto, Ontario $100,0002017 Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn McEwen Val Sweeting, Lori Olson-Johns, Dana Ferguson, Rachelle Brown Toronto, Ontario $150,000 2018 Jamie Sinclair, Alex Carlson, Vicky Persinger, Monica Walker Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn McEwen Toronto, Ontario $150,000 2019 Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Briane Meilleur Anna Hasselborg, Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer, Sofia Mabergs Toronto, Ontario $150,000 2020 Cancelled 2021 Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Briane Meilleur Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Sarah Wilkes, Joanne Courtney Calgary, Alberta $175,000 2022 Anna Hasselborg, Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer, Sofia Mabergs Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Briane Meilleur Toronto, Ontario $175,000 2023 Isabella Wranå, Almida de Val, Maria Larsson, Linda Stenlund Alina Pätz, Silvana Tirinzoni (skip), Carole Howald, Briar Schwaller-Hürlimann Toronto, Ontario $175,000 2024 Alina Pätz, Silvana Tirinzoni (skip), Selina Witschonke, Carole Howald Isabella Wranå, Almida de Val, Maria Larsson, Linda Stenlund Toronto, Ontario $175,000 2025 Alina Pätz, Silvana Tirinzoni (skip), Carole Howald, Selina Witschonke Rachel Homan, Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, Sarah Wilkes Toronto, Ontario $175,000 2026 (Jan.) Alina Pätz, Silvana Tirinzoni (skip), Carole Howald, Selina Witschonke Kerri Einarson, Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, Karlee Burgess Steinbach, Manitoba $175,000
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