The United States F-Class Open Rifle Team delivered a historic performance at the ICFRA F-Class World Championships in Bisley, England, securing a complete sweep of the individual F-Open medals. For the first time in the event’s history, a single nation claimed gold, silver, and bronze, with Brandon Zwahr crowned the 2026 F-Class World Champion.
Zwahr’s gold was complemented by Matt Basalla’s silver and Emil Kovan’s bronze, a commanding showing against a field of 211 F-Open shooters representing 18 countries. The American presence extended further down the leaderboard, with Doug Skogman placing fifth, Erik Cortina ninth, Norman Harrold 12th, and Peter Johns 14th.
Competitors at Bisley faced uncharacteristic conditions for an English August. The range had experienced 150 days without measurable precipitation, leading to daily highs climbing from the mid-90s past the century mark. This extreme heat and dryness created significant mirage, demanding precise wind calls. Team Captain Dan Bramley succinctly described the environment as "hot, 95 degrees and dry," with winds typically ranging between four and 16 mph.
The team also paid tribute to two members, Keith Weil and Dave Gosnell, who earned places on the U.S. F-Class Open Rifle Team but passed away before the championship. John C. Sigler, a past NRA President and chairman of the NRA F-Class High Power Rifle Committee, noted his personal friendships with both men and their shared experiences at previous World Championships, acknowledging their absence was felt on the line.
Leading up to the main event, the American squad utilized the British Open as a crucial shakedown match upon their arrival in London on August 1st. This preparatory competition allowed shooters to confirm zeros and acclimate. Jason Cohen led the Americans with a second-place finish, followed by Johns in fourth, Zwahr in fifth, Cortina in sixth, and Basalla in 10th. The United States also secured gold in the British Open’s 16-man international team match.
The individual world championship was briefly interrupted on its opening day when an Italian competitor suffered a heart attack on the range. Match officials canceled the remainder of the day’s shooting out of respect, with competition resuming on day two and proceeding without further incident.
While individual honors were significant, national teams also heavily contest the team matches. The 16-man team match presented its own challenges. Day one saw rapidly shifting winds of six to 10 mph, making wind coaching difficult. The American squad dropped 11 points at 800 yards, 29 at 900, and 40 at 1,000 yards, finishing the day 25 points behind a South African team they had defeated in 2023. Captain Bramley described this deficit as a difficult pill to swallow but expressed confidence in closing the gap.
Day two brought calmer conditions to the 800- and 900-yard lines, which, while seemingly favorable, compressed the field and offered less opportunity for a trailing team to gain ground. The Americans dropped only a single point at 800 yards and 10 at 900. They then delivered the best 1,000-yard performance of any team in the match, giving up 27 points. Despite this strong finish, it wasn’t enough to overcome the initial deficit. South Africa ultimately secured the team gold with a score of 3500, with the United States taking silver at 3482.
Bramley, while acknowledging the team fell short of repeating as World Champions, affirmed his pride in his shooters, stating the individual performance underscored American prowess. He concluded, “We very much wanted to repeat as World Champions, but it just wasn’t in the cards this year.” The team now looks ahead to the 2030 championships in Australia.
Captain Bramley’s cycle began in September 2023 following his re-election. Open tryouts at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico, attracted a broad field, eventually narrowed to a 24-member roster that included one woman. The squad conducted multiple practice sessions at Whittington and after National and Southwest National events. Team leadership secured sponsorships from Nightforce Optics and Capstone Precision Group, which distributes Berger, Lapua, and Vihtavuori. Team resources covered all other expenses, including clothing, gear, and match fees.
Following the championship, David Christian was unanimously elected by the current roster to lead the 2030 cycle as the next team captain. The next ICFRA F-Class World Championships are slated for Australia in 2030, with the United States hosting the 2034 edition at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix.
