Canadian Ultimate Championships (CUC) is an annual Ultimate Frisbee tournament organized by Ultimate Canada and the player association of the city where the championships are held. Until 2016, all divisions were hosted in the same location. Beginning in 2016 the mixed divisions have been held as a separate event.
History of ultimate and disc sports in Canada
Organized disc sports began in the early 1970s, with promotional efforts from Irwin Toy, the Canadian Open Frisbee Championships, Toronto (1972–1985), the Vancouver Open Frisbee Championships (1974–1977) and professionals using Frisbee show tours to perform at universities, fairs, and sporting events. Disc sports such as freestyle, double disc court, guts, ultimate and disc golf became this sports first events. Two sports, the team sport of ultimate and disc golf are very popular worldwide and are now being played semi-professionally. The World Flying Disc Federation, Professional Disc Golf Association, Freestyle Players Association are the official rules and sanctioning organizations for flying disc sports worldwide. Ultimate Canada is the official rules and sanctioning organization for ultimate in Canada.
Ultimate is a team sport played with a flying disc. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to members of your own team, on a rectangular field, 120 yards (110m) by 40 yards (37m), until you have successfully completed a pass to a team member in the opposing team's end zone. In the early 1970s, Ken Westerfield and Jim Kenner (Discraft founder) introduced ultimate along with other disc sports North of the 49th parallel at the Canadian Open Frisbee Championships, Toronto (1972–1985) and the Vancouver Open Frisbee Championships (1974–1977). In 1979, Ken Westerfield and Chris Lowcock created the Toronto Ultimate Club (TUC). The Toronto Ultimate Club is one of the ultimate's oldest leagues.
The first Canadian Ultimate Championships (CUC) were held for the open division in Ottawa in 1987, produced by Marcus Brady and Brian Guthrie. OCUA subsequently hosted the 1993, 1999, 2002, 2011 and 2017 Canadian Ultimate Championships.
Canada has been ranked number one in the Ultimate World Rankings several times since 1998 in all the Ultimate Divisions (including Open and Women's) according to the World Flying Disc Federation.
In 2013, as a founding partner, the Toronto Ultimate Club presented Canada's first semi-professional ultimate team, the Toronto Rush to the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL). In their first season they went undefeated 18–0 and won the AUDL championships. The American Ultimate Disc League and the now defunct Major League Ultimate (MLU) are the first semi-professional ultimate leagues.
Past Championships
Locations YearLocationTournament Director(s)Ultimate Canada Competition Director2024CUC: UPI, Ottawa, ON CUC Masters: RIM Park, Waterloo, ON CUC Grandmasters: Saskatoon, SK Andrew Portwine Ben Klar2023CUC: Newton Athletic Park. Surrey, BC CUC Masters: Kelowna, BC Surrey LOC with Troe Weston Kelowna LOC with Troe WestonAndrew Portwine Andrew Batchelor2022CUC: Creditview Sandalwood Park. Brampton, ON CUC Masters: UPI. Ottawa, ON Troe WestonAndrew Portwine Andrew Batchelor2021UCI (Senior): UPI. Ottawa, ON UCI (Masters): UPI. Ottawa, ON
Note: These are not considered CUCs Teri-Lynne BelangerAndrew Batchelor2020CUC: Creditview Sandalwood Park. Brampton, ON CUC Mixed: Laval, QC Cancelled due to COVID-192019CUC: Ivor Dent Sports Field. Edmonton, AB CUC Mixed: Creditview Sandalwood Park. Brampton, ONEdmonton LOC with Teri-Lynne Belanger Teri-Lynne BelangerAndrew Batchelor Jen Stark & Andrew Batchelor2018CUC: Creditview Sandalwood Park. Brampton, ON CUC Mixed: Newton Athletic Park. Surrey, BCTeri-Lynne Belanger Brian Gisel with Teri-Lynne BelangerAndrew Batchelor2017CUC: UPI. Ottawa, ON CUC Mixed: Saskatoon, SK Ottawa LOC: Venissa de Castro, Isabelle Blanchard, Naomi Garneau with Teri-Lynne Belanger Saskatoon LOC with Teri-Lynne Belanger Kalen Carslaw Andrew Batchelor2016CUC: Ivor Dent Sports Field. Edmonton, AB CUC Mixed: Hamilton, ONEdmonton LOC with Teri-Lynne Belanger Linda Kudo with Teri-Lynne BelangerKalen Carslaw Andrew Batchelor 2015Winnipeg, MBWinnipeg LOC with Teri-Lynne BelangerAndrew Batchelor 2014Waterloo, ON Andrew Portwine with Teri-Lynne BelangerAndrew Batchelor 2013Vancouver, BC Brian Gisel with Teri-Lynne Belanger Teri-Lynne Belanger 2012Victoria, BC Kevin BurleighAndrew Batchelor 2011Ottawa, ON Cory Bowditch, Stuart Ginn and Ken LangeAndrew Batchelor 2010 Sherbrooke, QC Damien RoyBlue McClellan 2009 Winnipeg, MB Corey Drapern/a2008 Calgary, AB Dave McLeann/a2007 Toronto, ON Blue McClellan & Allison Fletchern/a2006 Halifax, NS Ed Fongn/a2005 Winnipeg, MB Danny Sandersn/a2004 Vancouver, BC Brian Giseln/a2003 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC Louis Beauregardn/a2002 Ottawa, ON Gwen Prillo & Mike Hall-Jonesn/a2001 Edmonton, AB Calvin Lin/a2000 Vancouver, BC Brian Giseln/a1999 Ottawa, ONhttp://old.ocua.ca/nationals99/index.html Jack Webb & Mike Hall-Jonesn/a1998 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC n/a1997 Victoria, BC n/a1996 Toronto, ON n/a1995 Calgary, AB Grant Burnsn/a1994 Winnipeg, MB Dean Wrightn/a1993 Ottawa, ON Maren Hansen and Keith Whyten/a1992 Vancouver, BC Mike Kaweskin/a1991 Montreal, QCn/a1990 Calgary, AB Grant Burns & Rick Collinsn/a1989 Vancouver, BC Adam Berson, Liam Robinson, Douglas Grant n/a1988 Toronto, ON Chris & Les Lowcockn/a1987 Ottawa, ON (inaugural championship) Marcus Brady & Brian Guthrien/a
Open Year Champion Finalist Third place SOTG MVP2024 Phoenix (Ottawa) Mephisto (Montreal) Red Circus (Halifax) RUT (Regina) Owen Daigeler2023 GOAT (Toronto) General Strike (Winnipeg) Furious George (Vancouver) RUT (Regina) James Lewis2022 General Strike (Winnipeg) AFC Rumble (Edmonton) Houndd (Durham) ONI (Vancouver) Devin Cohen2021 Furious George (Vancouver) Mephisto (Montreal) GOAT (Toronto) Regiment (Newfoundland) 2019 Furious George (Vancouver) GOAT (Toronto) General Strike (Winnipeg) Berta Flatball Club (Edmonton) Ty Barbieri 2018 Phoenix (Ottawa) Alberta Flatball Club (Edmonton) Grand Trunk (Toronto) Houndd (Durham) Russ Nicolls 2017 GOAT (Toronto) General Strike (Winnipeg) Phoenix (Ottawa) GOAT (Toronto) Jason Huynh 2016 Grand Trunk (Toronto) General Strike (Winnipeg) Mio Grape (Vancouver) Maverick (Waterloo) Connor Armstrong 2015 GOAT (Toronto) Furious George (Vancouver) Mockingbird (Montreal) Alberta Flatball Club (Edmonton) Derek Alexander 2014 Shepdog (Toronto) Blackfish (Vancouver) Demon (Montreal) Red Circus (Halifax) Isaiah Masek-Kelly 2013 Furious George (Vancouver) Phoenix (Ottawa) Mephisto (Montreal) Mephisto (Montreal) Peter Yu 2012 Furious George (Vancouver) General Strike (Winnipeg) The Ghosts (Calgary) Nelson Homegrown (BC) Kevin Underhill 2011 Furious George (Vancouver) GOAT (Ottawa / Toronto) Phoenix (Ottawa) Maverick (Waterloo) Morgan Hibbert 2010 Moondoggies (Toronto) Mephisto (Montreal) Phoenix (Ottawa) NLA (NFLD) / Roy (Toronto) John Hassell 2009 Mephisto (Montreal) Phoenix (Ottawa) Invictus (Calgary) Tommy Douglas Dream Team (SK) Jean-Levy Champagne 2008 Nomads (Victoria) Mephisto (Montreal) Invictus (Calgary) General Strike (Wpg) / EMU (Edm) Oscar Pottinger 2007 Furious George (Vancouver) GOAT (Ottawa / Toronto) Invictus (Calgary) Too Bad (Toronto) 2006 GOAT (Ottawa / Toronto) Mephisto (Montreal) Grand Trunk (Toronto) Swass (Fredericton) Andrew Ouchterlony 2005 Nomads (Victoria) GOAT (Ottawa / Toronto) Phoenix (Ottawa) Too Bad (Toronto) Anthony Maley 2004 Nomads (Victoria) Calgary D&D (Calgary) — Grand Trunk (Toronto) Joey Houssian 2003 Furious George (Vancouver) GOAT (Ottawa / Toronto) RWBB (Calgary) Jerk Factory (Atlantic) Jeff Cruickshank 2002 GOAT (Ottawa / Toronto) Mephisto (Montreal) Phoenix (Ottawa) FOG (Halifax) / Mangina (Regina) Pete Knowles 2001 Nomads (Victoria) Invictus (Calgary) Frisbots (Vancouver) Incognito (Edmonton) Evan Wood 2000 Furious George (Vancouver) Invictus (Calgary) waX (Ottawa) Incognito (Edmonton) John Wooldrige 1999 Furious George (Vancouver) waX (Ottawa) YES (Toronto) Eddies (Vancouver) Andrew Lugsdin 1998 waX (Ottawa) Nomads (Victoria) — Chaos (Winnipeg) Chris Sullivan 1997 Furious George (Vancouver) Alter Boyz (Vancouver) Cynics (Calgary) Sausage Party (Saskatoon) Adam Berson 1996 Furious George (Vancouver) — — Da Cod Fodders (Halifax) Evan Wood 1995 Furious George (Vancouver) waX (Ottawa) Toronto Allan Nichols 1994 waX (Ottawa) Vertigogh (Vancouver) Cynics (Calgary) Mufferaw Joe (Ottawa) Phillip Roger 1993 waX (Ottawa) Vertigogh (Vancouver) Taxidermy (Toronto) Phillip Roger 1992 Vertigogh (Vancouver) PP Wax (Ottawa) Cynics (Calgary) Steve Oldenberg 1991 Vertigogh (Vancouver) — — Michael Kader 1990 Cynics (Calgary) Van Gogh (Vancouver) — Prairie Fire (Winnipeg) Steev Limin 1989 Van Gogh (Vancouver) Cynics (Calgary) Secret Police (Ottawa) Adam Berson 1988 Cynics (Calgary) Darkside (Toronto) — Cynics (Calgary) Steev Limin 1987 Darkside (Toronto) Cynics (Calgary) Montreal A (Montreal) Rick Collins
Women