NEIL Middleditch highlighted gating as the crucial factor after Pirates captain Chris Holder had slipped 15 points adrift of the world championship lead.

Holder missed out on a semi-final spot for the first time in the 2013 series as Tai Woffinden struck Czech Grand Prix gold in Prague last night.

Reigning champion Holder looked well placed on five points from his opening two rides but just two points from the Australian's final three outings proved costly.

Having won heat four and finished second to Woffinden in race six, Holder trailed home last in heats 11 and 13 before entering a crucial 20th race.

And despite a decent start, Holder could not stop Jarek Hampel from stealing a semi-final berth as he rocketed round the Pirates star to take the victory.

Holder, who is on 40 championship points, saw his early exit enable Emil Sayfutdinov (55) and Woffinden (54) open a healthy advantage after four of 12 rounds.

Giving his verdict, Pirates team manager Middleditch told the Daily Echo: “Prague is very much a gater's track. Tai was lightning from the starts.

“It is so hard from the outside gates because it is such a long way to the first corner that you just can't get across the riders.

“If you are not gating at that sort of level, it will really show, and I think that was probably Chris's problem last night.”

Pirates asset Krzysztof Kasprzak claimed second spot after he had been warned by the referee for apparent dangerous riding following a brutal - and highly effective - semi-final charge. Nicki Pedersen, riding with a broken arm, remarkably finished third, with the impressive Sayfutdinov excluded from the final for a tapes offence.