Andrew Dau, a seventh-grader at St. Ann's School in Kane'ohe breezed through seven rounds, finally spelling sitzmark — the German word for a hollow made in the snow when a skier falls backward — to capture the Windward O'ahu District Spelling Bee last night at Le Jardin Academy.

Dau, 13, said he didn't recognize the word or know its meaning, but as soon as he asked for and heard its language of origin, he confidently spelled it correctly to claim the title.

"That's my tip for everybody. Always ask for the origin of a word you don't know," Dau said afterward. He was the only one of the 13 spellers in last night's competition to do so.

Kekai Glushenko, 13 and a seventh-grader at St. Mark's Lutheran School, missed just one letter (in the word angst) through nine rounds to claim the runner-up spot.

Dau, the son of Lisa and Chris Dau, said he had practiced spelling every day for at least an hour since December.

Tomorrow he'll start practicing again to get ready for The Advertiser's 22nd annual Hawai'i State Spelling Bee on March 11. Both he and Glushenko will advance to the state bee, which will be televised on OC-16.

The state winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip in May to Washington, D.C., to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Reach Mike Leidemann at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.