The 2026 IPRF Centerfire World Championship, held September 22-28 at Gravestone Precision Shooting in Lipan, Texas, saw Kate Estes of Huffman, Texas, secure the Ladies Division world championship with a decisive performance. Estes landed 175 impacts out of 200 rounds fired across 20 stages, achieving an 87.5% hit rate that positioned her nine impacts clear of the second-place finisher. Her strong showing also placed her 27th overall in a field comprising approximately 250 shooters from 24 countries.
Estes, who entered the championship as the top qualifier on the four-woman U.S. Ladies roster following an 18-month selection process, delivered on expectations. Her individual title was one of seven division wins achieved by Team USA at the event.
The Ladies Division podium saw Solveig Engvoll of Norway take silver with 166 impacts. A tight battle for bronze unfolded between two American competitors, separated by just a single hit. Lauryl Akenhead secured third place with 163 impacts, narrowly besting Grace Vaughn of Oviedo, Florida, who finished with 162. Vaughn is also noted as a Team Proof Research competitor. The Czech Republic’s Tereza T. Helstynova rounded out the top five with 154 impacts, ensuring Team USA claimed three of the top four positions in the Ladies Division.
The collective strength of the U.S. Ladies roster was further underscored in the team competition. With each nation allowed to enter a four-woman Ladies team and its top three scores contributing to the total, Estes, Akenhead, and Vaughn combined for 500 out of a possible 600 impacts, achieving an 83.33% hit rate. This performance placed Team USA first, with a significant 83-impact lead over the United Kingdom, which finished second with 417 impacts. South Africa placed third with 400 impacts, followed by Canada (391 impacts) and Australia (335 impacts).
Both Estes and Vaughn relied on .243-caliber steel barrels from Proof Research for their competitive platforms. Estes’ rifle featured a Competition contour barrel with Proof Exponential Twist (PXT) rifling, chambered in 6mm Dasher. Vaughn utilized a Heavy Competition contour barrel chambered in 6mm Creedmoor. Proof Research expanded its PXT line to include steel competition blanks earlier in July, making the technology a relatively recent addition to the market for this type of application. Estes remarked on her equipment's performance, stating that her "PXT barrel performed great throughout the match, and gives me confidence in my rifle, which is exactly what you want when you’re focused on shooting your best.”
Beyond the Ladies Division, Team USA secured a comprehensive sweep of the remaining individual division titles. Keith Rudasill posted the highest score of the entire match in the Factory Division, achieving 192 impacts. This surpassed Open champion Austin Buschman’s 191 impacts, which nonetheless earned Buschman his third IPRF world title, following previous wins in 2022 and 2024. Additional American winners included Chad Heckler in Limited, Dylan Bailey in Junior, Kahl Harmon in Military/Law Enforcement, and Lee Pettross in Senior, completing the sweep for the United States.
Reflecting on her experience, Estes summarized the 2026 IPRF World Championship on Instagram, noting, "It was a long, hot weekend with plenty of challenging stages, but every second was worth it."
