An Invercargill High School student has won the New Zealand Spelling Bee, in Wellington.
[image:4743:half:right]Ryan McLellan, of James Hargest College, beat 15 others finalists by spelling words such as gargantuan, moratorium, ostentatious, and alabaster.
The word that put the Year Nine speller through to the 85th National Spelling Bee in the United States in June was longitudinal; which means running lengthwise.
Ryan McLellan says he can't quite believe that he has won.
He says he's nervous but excited about representing New Zealand at the US final.
