Yooper Looper contest director Roger Bentlage flies over Marquette County in close proximity to the contest fly zone. Sawyer International Airport is partnering with the International Aerobatic Club to host the inaugural aerobatic contest, appropriately named the Yooper Looper. (Photo courtesy of Roger Bentlage)

K.I. SAWYER — A new event is coming to Marquette County this weekend. Sawyer International Airport is partnering with the International Aerobatic Club to host the inaugural Aerobatic contest, appropriately named the Yooper Looper.

Interested viewers can visit the air strip Friday through Sunday. On Friday, the contestants are welcome to arrive midday and practice. At 9 a.m. Saturday, the contest will begin. As of Wednesday, 11 contestants were preregistered. Sunday is reserved for unfinished categories.

The event will have five categories in total:

≤ Primary

≤ Power sportsman

≤ Power intermediate

≤ Power advanced

≤ Power unlimited

“There is an order that will get drawn, but the categories all fly together. Each category flies three different flights,” contest director Roger Bentlage said.

Bentlage reminds attendees this is not an air show.

“It is precision aerobatics and we fly for judges,” he said. “A panel of judges will be viewing (contestants).”

Viewers and contestants are asked to bring a mask to go through the airport due to TSA security protocols.

For more information, visit iac.org/contest/2021-09-04-yooper-looper.