2-time Vindy champ ousted

Staff and wire report

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD.

Annabelle Day won’t advance to today’s semifinal rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Annabelle, 13, who outspelled 51 other spellers last March to become the Vindicator Regional Spelling Bee grand champion, correctly spelled “amnesia” and “balestra” and gave the correct definitions of “symbiosis” and “desuetude” in Wednesday’s preliminary rounds of the national bee.

Her score on a written portion of the test though, knocked her out of contention.

Only 49 spellers advanced to the semifinals, which start today.

Annabelle, who just completed eighth grade at Willow Creek Learning Center in Boardman, was one of 285 spellers from across the U.S., American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Canada, China, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan, South Korea and Department of Defense Schools in Europe in the national contest.

The daughter of Alan and Dr. Trang Day of Boardman won the Vindicator Regional Spelling Bee in 2014 as well. Her older sister, Tamsin, was second runner-up in the bee in 2013 and 2012.

The remaining spellers will compete today for more than $37,000 in cash and prizes.

Among the semifinalists: Gokul Venkatachalam of Chesterfield, Mo,, who finished third last year. Gokul, a matter-of-fact speller who shows little emotion onstage, was one of three who got perfect scores on the preliminary spelling and vocabulary test.

Also advancing to the semifinals were Vanya Shivashankar, a five-time participant and the younger sister of the 2009 champion; Srinath Mahankali, the younger brother of the 2013 winner; and Jairam Hathwar, whose older brother was one of last year’s co-champions.

Here are some memorable moments from the preliminary rounds:

During the first preliminary round Wednesday morning, 283 kids spelled words – and 279 spelled correctly. The words included “fidelity,” “flamboyant,” “mirage,” “llama” and “analysis.”

The words for the first onstage round – technically Round 2 of the bee; Round 1 is a written test – are taken from a list of about 600 words that’s also used in school and regional-level bees. That gives participants ample opportunity to study and memorize.

“We like the opportunity to give every speller the chance to shine onstage,” said Paige Kimble, the bee’s executive director. “I think what happened this morning is terrific.”

Round three words are slightly tougher, and spellers have less time to master them – they are given the list after winning their regional bees.

Jacob Williamson, a popular former speller who finished in seventh place last year and is back this year as a spectator, thinks that’s where the national bee should start.

“Round 2 has to go. It’s pointless,” he said.