Oregon man wins national Scrabble competition in Dayton

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — An Oregon man is $10,000 richer after winning the 2009 National Scrabble Championship in Ohio.

Dave Wiegand, of Portland, Ore., took first place Wednesday with 25 wins and six losses in the 31-game competition. It is the second time the 35-year-old Wiegand has claimed the national title.

Nigel Richards, 42, of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, finished second. Joel Wapnick, 63, of Montreal, Canada, was third.

Nearly 500 players from 40 states and several countries competed for five days in Dayton. Competitors ranged in age from 10 to 92.