Facing windy conditions and unfamiliar shooting disciplines at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary, W. Va., Doug Koenig emerged as the 2016 NRA World Shooting Champion. Shooting in the new Open Professional Division, Koenig's win netted him an awards check for $25,000. In the process, he earned a perfect score of 3000 by winning all 12 stages,.
Koenig, who is also a 17-time Bianchi Cup Champion, is widely considered the world's best all-around shooter. “This was a really great match—and a fun test of all the different shooting disciplines," said Koenig after the awards ceremony. "It's without a doubt one of the most difficult matches that I have ever shot. I have a lot of respect for the other disciplines that I have never done before.”
Greg Jordan won first place in the Professional Division with a score of 2934. Jordan won the 2-Gun, 3-Gun, and America's Rifle Challenge stages, enough to propel him to the top of the heap.
Lena Miculek won the Ladies Championship with a score of 2816. Additionally, she finished 12th place overall in the Professional Division.
Competitors had their work cut out for them this year, according to Match Director Dennis Willing. “The NRA is keeping the championship fresh by improving stage design," he said. For example, the 3-Gun stage this year presents competitors with a crashed plane as a firing point. "We want all the shooters to be challenged,” said Willing.
The Stock Professional and Amateur Divisions could use a mulligan card—allowing for the re-fire of any stage once. Shooters in the Open Professional Division were not allowed a mulligan.
Scoring for the championship is point based, with each stage worth 250 points. Each competitor receives points for a stage based on their finishing rank subtracted from 250. For example, a competitor winning a stage receives all 250 points for that stage, second place receives 249, etc. The final aggregate score is from all 12 stages, making a perfect score of 3000 points.
Each championship stage was sponsored by a different company, along with Presenting Sponsors Kimber and Nightforce Optics. The Stage Event Patron Sponsors were Armalite, JP Enterprises, Taylors & Co., Kahr Arms, Daniel Defense, Surgeon Rifles, ELEY, Magnum Research, Mossberg, STI, Smith & Wesson, Strategic Armory Corps, and Nexus Ammunition. Additionally, there were two side matches sponsored by Kahr Arms and Pyramyd Air.