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America's Fastest Texters Face Off In Times Square

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- OMG! The nation's fastest texters are facing off in an annual texting contest.

Eleven contestants from all over the country are coming to Times Square for the Wednesday afternoon competition. The winner gets $50,000.

Competitors range from 16 to 24-years-old. Last year's champion, Austin Weirschke, is coming back to defend his title.

The competition tests three skills: speed, accuracy and dexterity. There are three rounds: texting while blind-folded, texting with hands behind their backs and "text blitz," where phrases are shown to the contestants for a length of time and they have to copy it as fast as they can before the next one.

The competition is sponsored by cell phone-maker LG Electronics and kicked off at 2 p.m.

This year, LG is teaming up with Cartoon Network in an anti-bullying campaign.

During the texting competition, there will be a special "Text for the Cause" round encouraging people across the country to pledge their support for Cartoon Network's Stop Bullying: Speak Up campaign.

"By asking our audience to take a stand against all forms of bullying, including those that are becoming more prevalent in the digital space, we hope to raise awareness for the tools and steps available to all of us to help stop bullying in its tracks," James Fishler with LG Electronics USA said in a statement.

With every text pledge, LG will give $1 to the campaign.

For more information, click here.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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