Wis. boy, 16, is the fastest texter in America

AAA??Aug. 8, 2012?4:53 PM ET
Wis. boy, 16, is the fastest texter in America
AP

Austin Wierschke, left, of Rhinelander, Wis., and Kent Augustine, of Jamaica, N.Y., compete during the final round of the 2012 LG U.S. National Texting Championship , Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012 in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Austin Wierschke, left, of Rhinelander, Wis., and Kent Augustine, of Jamaica, N.Y., compete during the final round of the 2012 LG U.S. National Texting Championship , Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012 in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Austin Wierschke, left, of Rhinelander, Wis., reacts after winning the 2012 LG U.S. National Texting Championship as second place winner Kent Augustine, of Jamaica, N.Y. right, and host Stuart Brazell look on, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012 in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Austin Wierschke, left, of Rhinelander, Wis., and Kent Augustine, Jamaica, N.Y., compete during the final round of the 2012 LG U.S. National Texting Championship , Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012 in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Austin Wierschke, left, of Rhinelander, Wi., places his phone on a podium after finishing texting ahead of Kent Augustine, Jamaica, N.Y., during the final round of the 2012 LG U.S. National Texting Championship, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012 in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The reigning 16-year-old champion of cellphone texting has reclaimed the title of fastest texter in America.

Austin Weirschke (WARE'-skee) of Rhinelander, Wis., won after eight rounds at the texting competition Wednesday in New York's Times Square. He gets $50,000 in prize money.

Eleven contestants from around the U.S. competed, all using the same type of phone. The competition tested three skills: speed, accuracy and dexterity.

There were three rounds, including texting while blind-folded and texting with hands behind their backs.

The third round is called "text blitz." Phrases were shown to the contestants for a length of time and they copied them as fast as they could.

The annual competition is sponsored by cellphone-maker LG Electronics.

Associated PressNews Topics: General news, Technology, Mobile phone manufacturing, Text messaging, Mobile telecommunications equipment manufacturing, Telecommunications equipment manufacturing, Telecommunications, Industries, Business, Mobile communications, Communication technology

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-08-08-Texting%20Championship/id-b6dd6bade39643e1a3d963d7bdf17bb9

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