Speller 427, Christopher Serrao, spelled "omphalopsychite," one who stares fixedly at their navel to induce a mystical trance.
"I'm still nervous," Christopher said before the finals. "I'm grateful to God."
Christopher said getting to the finals is a great opportunity, and he wanted to make the best of it.
Christopher said he studied more this year, and learned to break down words based on patterns and roots.
"I'm really excited and happy," he said.
Now round 20 begins. Anyone who spells correctly is a winner. (This has never happened before.)
There are still eight spellers.