Geoff Bushelle Wins Third Illinois F-Class State Championship

2026 Illinois F-Class State Championship
Aurora Sportsmen’s Club
Waterman, Ill.
Aug. 15
43 competitors

Marksmen from across the region gathered for the 2026 Illinois F-Class State Championship, delivering a showcase of precision and skill. This year’s event saw established veterans defending their legacies and top-tier equipment taking center stage.

F-Open

F-Open featured fierce competition, but the weekend ultimately belonged to Geoff Bushelle, who captured first place without dropping a single point in the 100-round tournament, walking away from the match with a final score of 1000-79X.

Bushelle’s victory this year holds special significance. After he won the inaugural event in 2022, the championship trophy was named in his honor. With his 2026 win, Bushelle has now hoisted his namesake trophy three times in the five years since the competition’s inception.

Mike Catena holds the F-T/R Illinois State Champion trophy and his 2026 champion’s award in front of the Illinois State Rifle Association banner. Catena won with a score of 997-64X.

The battle for the podium was intense. Bill Baltas, riding the momentum of his recent success at the 2026 CMP Mid-Range F-Open Rifle Championship, put on an exceptional performance to secure second place. Rounding out the top three was Jim Marcum, who earned a well-deserved third-place finish.

A notable trend on the F-Open firing line was the equipment behind the top finishers. Both first-place Bushelle and third-place Marcum competed with custom rifles from Kovan Match Rifles. Baltas and others competed with custom rifles from Brian Nettesheim of Infringed Rifles LLC, the 2025 Illinois state champion.

F-T/R

The F-T/R (Target Rifle) category brought its own brand of heat, with competitors restricted to rifles chambered in .223 Rem. or .308 Win. and fired from a bipod.

This year, Mike Catena outshot the field to claim first place, demonstrating exceptional wind-reading ability and trigger control. Right on his heels was Nik Fredrich, who took second-place honors after a hard-fought match.

A special thank you goes to match director Mike Symmers of the Illinois State Rifle Association for coordinating the event and ensuring a smooth, successful competition for everyone involved. Thank you also to Forster Products for serving as the primary sponsor and hosting the awards ceremony luncheon.

2026 Illinois F-Class State Championship Leaderboard

Congratulations to all the competitors for an incredible weekend of marksmanship. As the 2026 season comes to an end, the question arises: Who will challenge the champions next year?

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