Thanks to a couple new major supporters, this year's Skookum World Curling Tour Yukon Cash Spiel has increased its total cash purse by $20,000.

Both Air North and Best Western Gold Rush Inn have joined long-term supporters of the Whitehorse Curling Club and title sponsor of the cash spiel Skookum Asphalt Ltd.

The cash spiel will be held Nov. 20 to 23 and so far has 20 teams registered with two teams on the waiting list.

The curling club will have either 20 or 24 teams signed up by the Oct. 31 deadline, which could include four time world curling champion Randy Ferbey.

Team Ferbey is currently on the waiting list along with one other local team and if the curling club can add two more teams to the cash spiel there is a good chance the squad will make the trip to Whitehorse in November.

The team just needs to make sure it has accumulated enough points to qualify for Alberta's provincial playdowns before it can commit to Yukon cash spiel.

Jon Solberg, business manager of the Whitehorse Curling Club, said they will have a better idea in around a week and a half whether Ferbey will be able to participate in the Skookum cash spiel for what would be the third straight year.

If the curling club is successful at attracting 24 teams to the cash spiel, it would be an increase of six squads, which totalled last year's event.

Among the non-Yukon teams include squads from Seattle, Alaska, Alberta, B.C. and the Northwest Territories. Currently, there are 14 non-Yukon teams that are registered to compete in this year's cash spiel.

Solberg said the curling club is really excited about the cash spiel.

"It's important for us to continue to grow the sport not only here in the community, but on a national basis," he said. "With this event and with Skookum Asphalt being involved we are able to really put Whitehorse on the map from a curling perspective."