Teen crowned America's fastest texter

A 17-year-old boy retained his title as America’s fastest texter on Wednesday in a duel of the thumbs staged before yelling fans in New York’s Times Square.

Austin Weirschke took home $50,000 in prize money for the second time in two years when he bested 10 other texting demons in feats of thumb speed, memory and fluency in texting shorthand.

One round was performed with contestants blindfolded and having 45 seconds to type the verse: “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.”

Weirschke said he became a prolific texter thanks to practice with his mother, whom he dubbed “my texting coach.”

But when asked to describe his victory, he must have wished he could text his reply. Facing a microphone, the humble winner could only manage: “I don’t really know what to say.”

Several contestants said they typically send hundreds of texts a day. But far from wasting their time gossiping over the miniature keyboard, these youngsters were in the cellphone equivalent of a harsh training camp.