For the second consecutive year, there are co-champions in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
After Vanya Shivashankar nailed it on scherenschnitte, Gokul Venkatachalam had to spell nunatek. He wasted little time in rattling off the correct letters. That left the bee without enough words to determine a single champion.
If Venkatachalam had missed on nunatek, Shivashankar would have been given one last word for a chance to be solo champion.
Spelling Bee Champions, Winning Words
2015: VANYA SHIVASHANKAR
Vanya Shivashankar (Olathe News of Kansas)
2015: VANYA SHIVASHANKAR
Vanya Shivashankar (Olathe News of Kansas)
2015: GOKUL VENKATACHALAM
Gokul Venkatachalam (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
2015: GOKUL VENKATACHALAM
Gokul Venkatachalam (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
2014: ANSUN SUJOE
Ansun Sujoe (Corning Rotary Club)
2014: ANSUN SUJOE
Ansun Sujoe (Corning Rotary Club)
2014: SRIRAM HATHWAR
Ansun Sujoe (Texas Christian University)
2014: SRIRAM HATHWAR
Ansun Sujoe (Texas Christian University)
2013: ARVIND MAHANKALI
Arvind Mahankali (New York Daily News)
2013: ARVIND MAHANKALI
Arvind Mahankali (New York Daily News)
2012: SNIGDHA NANDIPATI
Snigdha Nandipati (San Diego Union-Tribune)
2012: SNIGDHA NANDIPATI
Snigdha Nandipati (San Diego Union-Tribune)
2011: SUKANYA ROY
Sukanya Roy (Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)
2011: SUKANYA ROY
Sukanya Roy (Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)
2010: ANAMIKA VEERAMANI
Anamika Veeramani (The Plain Dealer of Cleveland)
2010: ANAMIKA VEERAMANI
Anamika Veeramani (The Plain Dealer of Cleveland)
2009: KAVYA SHIVASHANKAR
Kavya Shivashankar (Olathe News of Kansas)
2009: KAVYA SHIVASHANKAR
Kavya Shivashankar (Olathe News of Kansas)
2008: SAMEER MISHRA
Sameer Mishra (Journal and Courier of Lafayette, Indiana)
2008: SAMEER MISHRA
Sameer Mishra (Journal and Courier of Lafayette, Indiana)
2007: EVAN M. O'DORNEY
Evan M. O'Dorney (Contra Costa Times)
2007: EVAN M. O'DORNEY
Evan M. O'Dorney (Contra Costa Times)
2006: KERRY CLOSE
Kerry Close (Asbury Park Press/Home News Tribune)
2006: KERRY CLOSE
Kerry Close (Asbury Park Press/Home News Tribune)
2005: ANURAG KASHYAP
2005: Anurag Kashyap
2005: ANURAG KASHYAP
2005: Anurag Kashyap
This was the eighth consecutive year that American youths of Indian heritage have won, which unfortunately has triggered some racist trolling.
Shivashankar, 13, is the second champion in her family. Her sister, Kavya, won the 2009 bee.
Venkatachalam, 14, took third place last year.
