Successfully tackling that, and other words, over a two-hour period resulted in the Logan Park High School year 9 pupil taking first place in the regional round of the NZ Vegemite Spelling Bee, held at Otago Boys High School yesterday afternoon.
Shortly after winning the event, Sean said the experience was "nerve-racking".
"Even though there weren't many people in the audience, there was lots of pressure.
''Even words you know you can spell, when you are up there you seem to forget them," he said.
That may have been due, in part, to a paucity of practice, as Sean admitted to the Otago Daily Times he only "looked at the word list in the car ride here".
However, his favourite school subject may have helped - English, of course.
"I find it the easiest," he explained.
In total, 34 pupils from 11 schools gathered from around Otago and Southland to take part in the competition, which is in its fifth year.
St Peters College pupil Theo Van Zuylen (13), of Gore, took second place in yesterday's event and will travel with Sean to Wellington to compete in the national final on March 21, alongside 11 others from around New Zealand.
The country's top speller will earn a place in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington DC, in May, as well as airfares for two, accommodation and spending money.
Event manager Janet Lucas said she was impressed by the "really good turnout" for this year's competition in Dunedin, and the "courage" of pupils who took part.
