Fastest Texter In The Nation Crowned At 6th Annual LG U.S. National Texting Championship

NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics USA today announced that 17-year-old Austin Wierschke from Rhinelander, WI won the sixth annual LG U.S. National Texting Championship for the second time in a row. The first LG U.S. National Texting Championship winner to claim the crown two consecutive years, Wierschke received a prize of $50,000 for his speedy thumbs.

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For the first time in the competition's history, LG incorporated a special "Text for a Cause" round to benefit Cartoon Network's Stop Bullying: Speak Up™ campaign, a nationwide bullying prevention initiative. The "Text for a Cause" round was hosted by bullying prevention expert Rosalind Wiseman. Wiseman rallied event attendees to pledge their support for bulling prevention by texting "Join LG" to 27777. For every text message sent, LG made a contribution to help develop and distribute bullying prevention toolkits to middle and high schools across the country.

"Texting is one of the most popular forms of communication, and yet it continually surprises us just how fast today's youth can draft and send a message," said James Fishler, senior vice president of marketing and go-to-market operations, LG Electronics USA. "Since texting is such a fast and convenient form of communication, it's unfortunately become common for some to use it to bully and spread negativity. For that reason, we felt a responsibility to evolve the 2012 LG U.S. National Texting Championship into a platform to help educate all of us about standing up to bullying in our local communities."

The quest to find the nation's fastest texter began in 2007 and has continued to bring the brightest and quickest thumbs to the LG stage in New York each year. With every new championship, mobile technology leader LG returns to New York with new challenges, prizes and eye-catching text-themed events. This year's winner demonstrated his superior speed and dexterity, besting 10 other finalists from across the country.

Facing off in Times Square in the heart of Manhattan, 11 of the nation's fastest texters put their texting speed and accuracy to the test using the official LG U.S. National Texting Championship device, the Straight Talk® LG Optimus Zip™. The Optimus Zip features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for faster, easier texting. The contestants were required to text phrases exactly as they appeared on a screen, identify texting acronyms, text backwards and type while blindfolded.

The 2012 LG National Texting Championship concluded with the "Text Attack" challenge, which required the finalists to type a series of phrases as quickly and accurately as possible. Taking on 16-year-old Kent Augustine from Queens, New York, Wierschke knew he would not only have to be fast, but also hit the keys in perfect order to be victorious.

"Hearing my name called for the second time was amazing and a total shock," said winner Wiershcke. "I feel really lucky that I was able to come back this year to compete again."

Cartoon Network's Stop Bullying: Speak Up

Cartoon Network's Stop Bullying: Speak Up program provides bullying prevention resources for both students and educators. Using a three-pronged approach that encourages students to report bullying to an adult, support those who have been bullied, and get involved with school prevention programs, Stop Bullying: Speak Up™ empowers youth to take action against bullying. For more information on the Stop Bullying: Speak Up campaign, please visit www.StopBullyingSpeakup.com.

LG U.S. National Texting Championship

LG first set out to crown the fastest thumbs in America in 2007 when more than 500 contestants battled it out for the U.S. texting title. Now a national phenomenon, the championship regularly draws more than 500,000 competition entries, and in 2010 became the subject of an MTV documentary called "Thumbs" by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Bill Couturie. Providing an exclusive glimpse at the growing phenomenon of texting among today's youth, the film provided a first-hand look at player preparations during the marathon race to the LG National Texting Championship. For more information on the LG U.S. National Texting Championship, please visit www.facebook.com\lgtexterus.  

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $49 billion global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and energy solutions, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.lg.com.

About Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com) is the #1 U.S. television network among boys 6-11. Currently seen in 99 million U.S. homes and 178 countries around the world, Cartoon Network is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for kids and families. In addition to Emmy-winning original programming and industry-leading digital apps and online games, Cartoon Network embraces key social issues affecting families with solution-oriented initiatives such as Stop Bullying: Speak Up and the Move It Movement.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook.

SOURCE LG Mobile