WZMQ 19 is home to the excitement of the UP200 powered by NMU (Northern Michigan University).
The station is an official media partner and community sponsor for 2024. Complete coverage of all the activities of the sled dog races begins Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 11 with a special edition of 19 News at 11.
Special reports air all week on 19 News at 6 and 11 beginning Feb. 12.
19 News is proud to present a one-hour special at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16. “Ready, Set, Mush! The UP200 Powered by NMU” will feature analysis, live reports with fans and organizers plus all the fun as the UP200 returns to Washington St. this year. Thousands of fans are expected to gather near the starting line near Fourth and Washington St. The special will be repeated on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 11 p.m. on WZMQ CBS. The show will be hosted by Sarah Blakely with Mike Ludlum, Ariane Stassek and the entire 19 News team reporting from various vantage points along the race route.
Approximately 20 teams are expected to participate in this year’s race. The race was cancelled last year for the first time because rain resulted in unsafe conditions on the trails.
The UP 200 began in 1990 and is among the U.P.’s most popular events. Teams include a musher with 12 dogs covering a 220-mile course with 16 hours of mandated layover time.
After the race concludes on Sunday, Feb. 19, 19 News will air “Finish Line: The UP200 Powered by NMU”. The special looks back at the excitement and highlights of the race, interviews with the winner and the fun associated with the week’s activities. The special airs Sunday, Feb. 19 at 11 p.m.
WZMQ 19 is proud to be a partner with many of the area’s biggest events and organizations including the UP 200, U.P. State Fair, Festival of Sail, Community Foundation of Marquette County annual celebration and the Meijer State Games of Michigan.
The station began broadcasting live, local news from historic downtown Marquette in October 2022 and was selected as the U.P.’s best newscast by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.
More information on the UP 200 is available here.
