RHINELANDER - The fastest thumbs in the U.S. currently belong to a Northwoods teenager, but that title is on the line.

Austin Wierschke is going to New York in August to defend his title of fastest texter. He has a shot at another $50,000 prize, and bragging rights for another year.

"I feel very confident," says Wierschke.

When Wierschke won the national texting championship last year he got a hero's welcome home. But many wondered what he'd do with the $50,000 prize.

"I have not touched a single cent of that. I am planning on saving it all for my college education for architecture," says Wierschke.

Austin anticipates ever-changing technology might present a new challenge this year. The phones used for the competition might be touch screen.

"From coming from strictly keyboard phones, it's very difficult. I find myself making a bunch more mistakes, and I've gotten a little bit slower too. But I'm hoping the phone they give us has a nice keyboard and I can just practice, practice, practice," says Wierschke.

Mistakes in a competition like this are costly.

"It's speed and accuracy. If you make one mistake, you're out," says Wierschke.

Austin's mom, Lisa, is proud of the example he sets.

"One thing he does not do, and he will not do, I'm so adamant about it, is texting and driving," says Lisa Wierschke.

As for why he's so darn fast, Austin only has theories.

"I think because all teenagers text. That's the way we all talk. We all just talk a lot through texting and that's just how I got so good at it. I don't know why I'm so abnormally fast," says Wierschke.

Austin got to be on Nickelodeon's new game show, "Figure it Out" and his parent's are having a viewing party at the Cross Country Bar next Thursday, at 6:00 PM.

Story By: Lyndsey Stemm