BOSS Neil Middleditch tonight admitted Denmark were simply too fast as his battling Brits faded and missed out on a World Cup final place.

The Team Great Britain challenge came to an end as much-fancied Denmark emerged victorious from the race-off at Malilla in Sweden.

Middleditch’s men were in the mix at the halfway stage thanks to a fine performance from Tai Woffinden.

Woffinden delivered a joker victory in heat eight and followed that up with a win in the 10th race to leave GB just two points adrift of Denmark – who had roared clear by winning six of the first seven heats.

But as Tomasz Gollob inspired a Polish surge, it quickly became a two-horse race as Britain fell away in the second half of the meeting.

Denmark, though, held on comfortably enough to claim the last qualification spot and earn the right to clash with hosts Sweden and Event One and Two winners Russia and Australia at the same venue in Saturday’s final.

Pirates and Britain team manager Middleditch told the Daily Echo: “It was disappointing.

“After the good performance at King’s Lynn on Monday, we just couldn’t match the speed of Denmark or Poland in the latter stages.

“They all rode their hearts out but we just weren’t quick enough. It was a very fast track and we weren’t fast enough.”

Having narrowly lost to competition favourites Australia at Norfolk Arena on Monday, the Brits had high hopes going into tonight’s showdown.

They looked in good shape at the halfway point but with Danny King (3) and Scott Nicholls (2) failing to match the efforts of Woffinden (14) and captain Chris Harris (11), Britain were unable to keep pace with the big guns.

Middleditch added: “The shining light of the Team GB performance was Tai’s display.”