Australia, led by its three world championship combatants, finished second in its qualifying event at the 2004
Euphony Speedway World Cup at Eastbourne (UK) on August 3 ‰ÛÒ but it wasn't enough to gain automatic entry in this
Saturday's final.
Instead, Australia's five-man outfit ‰ÛÒ the top-shelf troika of Jason Crump, Leigh Adams and Ryan Sullivan, in addition
to debutantes Steve Johnston and Adam Shields ‰ÛÒ will now have to finish as one of the top two teams in this Thursday's
race-off in Poole (UK) for a chance to win its fourth SWC crown in six years.
Australia, which finished a close second behind Sweden in last year's final, faced off against Denmark, Italy and the
Czech Republic in the August 3 qualifier, which quickly developed into a battle of the super powers ‰ÛÒ a shootout between
the Danes and Aussies.
As it transpired, Denmark, whose five riders have all scored points in the 2004 world championship, lead throughout the
25-heat program, although Australia managed to join it in co-leadership twice throughout the night.
In an event where the cream rose to the top, Denmark, masterfully led by 2003 world champion Nicki Pedersen, always managed
a powerful riposte to Australia's advances, so much so that it led by 7pts after heat 16 ‰ÛÒ which gave Australia a chance to
introduce a 'tactical' substitute, which is allowed when a team is more than 6pts in arrears.
Adams was charged with the tactical (aka ‰ÛÏjoker‰Û
