World U-17 Hockey Challenge

The World U-17 Hockey Challenge, originally known as the Quebec Esso Cup, is an international ice hockey tournament held annually in Canada. Prior to 2011, the tournament did not operate during years in which the Canada Winter Games were held. As such, the World Under-17 Challenge was held three out of every four years. It is organized by Hockey Canada and is the first major international competition for male hockey players under the age of 17. The tournament is the first step in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence and is used to identify players moving on to the U18 and National Junior Team.
== Origins ==
The inaugural World Under-17 Hockey Challenge took place in Quebec as the 1986 Quebec Esso Cup. At the time, it was considered the unofficial world championship of midget hockey. It was also used as a development tool for the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to identify players for further development as well as expose them to their first taste of international competition. The tournament was among ten teams, five regional teams from Canada, Finland, Czechoslovakia, U.S.A., Sweden, and the U.S.S.R. Team Quebec, led by future NHL first overall pick Pierre Turgeon captured gold by defeating the Soviets, who featured the likes of Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Mogilny.
Prior to November 2014, the tournament was held from late December through to early January. Originally, Canada would field five teams, selected on a regional basis
== Recent years ==
The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge has continued to grow over the years to the point where it is perhaps the largest annual event on Hockey Canada's calendar. The tournament is not an official World Championship, as it organized entirely by Hockey Canada. The IIHF holds the World Under-18 Championships each April.
The tournament is currently held in November of each year.
== Participating teams ==
Canada enters three teams each year. Prior to November 2014, Canada entered five regional teams
Other participating nations have included:
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* (now defunct)
* (now defunct)
==Results==
Year 	Gold 	Silver 	Bronze 	Host(s)
2023 	White 	 	 	Charlottetown and Summerside
2022 	 	Red 	 	Langley and Delta
2021 	Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. 	Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. 	Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. 	Charlottetown and Summerside
2020 	Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. 	Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. 	Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. 	Charlottetown and Summerside
2019 	 	 	 	Medicine Hat and Swift Current
2018 	 	 	 	Quispamsis and Saint John
2017 	 	Red 	 	Dawson Creek and Fort St. John
2016 	 	Black 	 	Sault Ste. Marie
2015 	White 	 	 	Dawson Creek and Fort St. John
2014 (Nov.) 	 	 	 	Sarnia and Lambton Shores
2014 (Jan.) 	 	Pacific 	 	Cape Breton, (Sydney/North Sydney/Port Hawkesbury)
2013 	 	 	 	Drummondville, Victoriaville
2012 	 	 	Ontario 	Windsor
2011 The ice hockey tournament at the 2011 Canada Games was supposed be held in place of a 2011 tournament. This is no longer true. The Canada Games tourney is now for U16 players, which will be played at the 2011 Games in Halifax. The U17 tournament will be played as planned in Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. The female U18s nationals is off this year due to the Canada Games, but not the men.	Ontario 	 	Pacific 	Winnipeg / Portage La Prairie]
2010 	 	Ontario 	 	Timmins / Iroquois Falls / Cochrane / Kapuskasing / Kirkland Lake / New Liskeard
2009 	Ontario 	Pacific 	 	Campbell River / Courtenay / Duncan / Nanaimo / Parksville / Port Alberni
2008 	Ontario 	 	West 	London / Lucan / St. Thomas / Stratford / Strathroy / Woodstock
2007 	The ice hockey tournament at the 2007 Canada Games was held in place of a 2007 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 2007 Canada Games was held in place of a 2007 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 2007 Canada Games was held in place of a 2007 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 2007 Canada Games was held in place of a 2007 tournament.
2006 	Quebec 	 	 	Balgonie / Fort Qu'Appelle / Indian Head / Milestone / Moose Jaw / Regina / Southey / Weyburn
2005 	West 	Pacific 	Atlantic 	Lethbridge
2004 	Ontario 	Pacific 	Quebec 	St. John's
2003 	The ice hockey tournament at the 2003 Canada Games was held in place of a 2003 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 2003 Canada Games was held in place of a 2003 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 2003 Canada Games was held in place of a 2003 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 2003 Canada Games was held in place of a 2003 tournament.
2002 	 	Pacific 	Ontario 	Selkirk / Stonewall
2001 	 	Pacific 	Ontario 	New Glasgow / Truro
2000 	 	Ontario 	Pacific 	Timmins / Chapleau / Cochrane / Haileybury / Hearst / Kapuskasing / Kirkland Lake / New Liskeard / Smooth Rock Falls / Rouyn-Noranda
1999 	The ice hockey tournament at the 1999 Canada Games was held in place of a 1999 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 1999 Canada Games was held in place of a 1999 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 1999 Canada Games was held in place of a 1999 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 1999 Canada Games was held in place of a 1999 tournament.
1998 II 	Saskatchewan 	 	 	Swift Current
1998 I Split events were held in 1998 	Ontario 	 	Quebec 	Kitchener
1997 	Ontario 	 	Quebec 	Red Deer
1995 	Ontario 	 	Quebec 	Moncton
1994 	Quebec 	 	Pacific 	Amos
1992 	Ontario 	Quebec 	 	Sudbury
1991 	The ice hockey tournament at the 1991 Canada Games was held in place of a 1991 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 1991 Canada Games was held in place of a 1991 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 1991 Canada Games was held in place of a 1991 tournament.	The ice hockey tournament at the 1991 Canada Games was held in place of a 1991 tournament.
1990 	 	Quebec 	 	Quebec City
1988 	 	 	Quebec 	Quebec City
1986 	Quebec 	 	Pacific 	Quebec City
=== Medal table ===
Country 	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Medals
Ontario 	8 	2 	3 	13
 	6 	9 	2 	17
  	 	 	 	
Quebec 	3 	2 	5 	10
 	2 	2 	5 	9
West 	2 	0 	1 	3
White 	2 	0 	0 	2
 	1 	2 	2 	5
Pacific 	0 	6 	4 	10
Red 	0 	2 	0 	2
  	 	 	 	
Black 	0 	1 	0 	1
Atlantic	0 	0 	1 	1
==See also==
* World Junior A Challenge
* IIHF World U20 Championship
* IIHF World U18 Championship
== Notes ==
==External links==
* World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Category:Tournaments