Timaru's Sacred Heart Primary School took the top honours in the years 5 and 6 section of the Extra! spelling quiz last night, followed by Gleniti Primary School, also from Timaru.
Sacred Heart beat 26 teams from across the central South Island to win with 96 points out of a possible 100.
They were closely followed by Gleniti with 95 points and Woodbury School from Geraldine, with 94 points.
Quiz competitors took part in 10 rounds tackling tasks including matching words to their country of origin, spelling words, abbreviations and matching words with their meanings.
Extra! editor and co-ordinator of the quiz Ivan Behrnes said 1400 pupils were competing in the spelling quizzes, in events in Dunedin, Christchurch, Cromwell and Timaru.
''We have had record numbers of entrants in the Central South Island spelling quizzes this year.
''It's good to see schools from Oamaru through to Ashburton taking part.''
Year 7-8 teams, representing 18 schools, gathered later in the night.
Four of those teams tied for first place - St Joseph's Ashburton, Ashburton Intermediate, Waihi School and Mount Hutt College.
Each of them was put to the test one last time, quizzed on a series of spellings, including ''conquerable'' and ''cuisine'', but it was ''veterinarian'' that secured Waihi School the win, with 96 points.
Waihi School's winning team members Hugh Saunders (12) and Lachlan Short (12), who were in a winning team at one of last year's events, were this time joined by Sebastian Ferro (11).
While it was a tough competition, securing five points in the ''all or nothing'' round was what helped them on their way to winning, Hugh said.
Lachlan was confident in his team's spelling of veterinarian.
''I knew that we had [it correct]. I was just hoping that the other teams didn't,'' he said.
Mr Behrnes said it was probably the first time there had been a four-way-tie in the competition.
Placegetters and their schools received plaques and book vouchers.
There was also a special round for supporters to take part in.
The ODT ran the event through its newspapers in Extra!
-By Al Williams and Alexia Johnston
