Robot Wars: The Seventh Wars/World Championship Qualifiers

The World Championship Qualifiers were a series of battles throughout the Heats of The Seventh Wars, to decide which robots would compete in The Third World Championship. The battles were aired as the Special Events of Heats A,D, G, J, L, N and O.

Some of the battles were held between two robots from different nations, whilst others were between two or three robots from the same country. These battles were held as special events during Heats across the Seventh Wars.

The five robots that automatically qualified were: Tornado (European Champion), PulverizeR (Dutch Champion), Typhoon 2 (Seventh Wars Grand Champion), Storm 2 (Seventh Wars runner-up and highest-placed robot from England) and Rawbot (which was given an automatic place in the championship as Zeus had to pull out after breaking down before the qualifier).

Mechaniac (AUT) vs Supernova (SRI)
This battle was the Special Event in Heat A. The robots came together and Mechaniac attempted to flip Supernova but only managed to lift it slightly off the ground. Mechaniac then drove straight into the CPZ, where it was picked up by Sir Killalot and carried across the arena. Sir Killalot lowered Mechaniac onto the ground and Supernova charged at it with the spinning disc which bounced off the shell and sent Supernova flying. Supernova attacked Mechaniac, before the Sri Lankan representative was flipped by Mechaniac's flipper. Supernova then attacked Mechaniac again and sent the back panel flying off the machine, leaving the mechanics exposed. "And now the very guts of Mechaniac have been laid bare."

- Jonathan Pearce

Repeated attacks from Supernova dislodged Mechaniac's batteries and left it immobile. Cassius Chrome then punched Mechaniac's batteries which then shorted out the electronics and started an internal fire. There was no life left in Mechaniac and it was counted out by the Refbot. "Marks out of ten for flying, eight. Marks out of ten for competitiveness... minus six."

- Jonathan Pearce after Mechaniac was tossed by the floor flipper

After being thrown by the floor flipper, Sir Killalot speared Mechaniac's open back end with his lance, shorting the electronics out again. Sir Killalot dropped Mechaniac in the pit, leaving Supernova the winner and the first robot to qualify for the World Championship.

Winner: Supernova

Spartacus (USA) vs Flippa (USA)


Held as the Special Event in Heat D, Flippa did not start at all and Spartacus was able to grab it and push it around the arena at its own pace. Then it pulled Flippa towards the floor flipper and backed into the pit release button before pushing its opponent into the pit of oblivion. "Flippa is the using the I'll let you pull me around a bit tactic, and then dump me in the pit tactic. And, that's the end..."

- Jonathan Pearce

Winner: Spartacus

Crushtacean (RSA) vs Topbot (IRE)
This battle was broadcast as the Special Event in Heat G. Topbot tried to spin its disc up to speed, but Crushtacean was too fast and came towards it. Crushtacean quickly grabbed hold of Topbot and pushed it into the CPZ, but it escaped. Topbot attacked the side of Crushtacean with its spinning disc but it did no damage. Topbot then drove into the arena wall, taking chunks out of it, and Crushtacean grabbed hold of it again and pushed it around the arena. Crushtacean then pushed Topbot into the pit release button. "They've nudged it [the pit release button], they've bent, they've broken it. Broken our tyre. Topbot, get down the pit for doing that."

- Jonathan Pearce as Topbot is pitted.

The Irish representative was then shoved down the pit, handing the place in the World Championship to Crushtacean.

Winner: Crushtacean

Riptilion (NZL) vs Hard (BEL)
"Well he's [Riptilion] so large that we think it might be quite difficult to flip him over"

- Jan Huyan before the fight

The Special Event in Heat J. After a few attempts, Hard got underneath Riptilion and tried to flip it over but it didn't quite manage to flip it all the way over. In response, Riptilion's blade created a rip in Hard's side armour. Hard continued to get underneath Riptilion and pushed it around the arena, trying again unsuccessfully to flip it. Hard gradually pushed Riptilion into the CPZ where it was attacked by Cassius Chrome and Growler.

"They could've done with a maori chant or two out there..."

- Jonathan Pearce as Riptilion is counted out

After these attacks, Riptilion appeared to be immobilised, was counted out by the Refbot, all while still being attacked by Hard. Growler bit Riptilion by the front weapon, and placed it on the floor flipper, where it was tossed, and attacked again by Hard before 'cease' was called.

Winner: Hard

Ansgar 3 (GER) vs I Bot One Beta (GER) vs Reaper NP2 (GER)
Held as the Special Event in Heat L, Reaper NP2 attacked Ansgar 3 but did no damage, before Ansgar 3 came back and attacked Reaper NP2 with its spinning blade, immobilising it. "I think Reaper's been stopped dead in the water"

- Jonathan Pearce noting the immobile Reaper NP2

The Refbot then counted Reaper NP2 out, before it was thrown by the floor flipper. After landing, it had its crumpled shell dented by Shunt. Ansgar 3 then pressed the pit release button and attacked I Bot One Beta, leaving the octagonal robot only able to go round in circles. Another attack from its spinning blade left I Bot One Beta immobilised as well before being nudged into the pit of oblivion along with Reaper NP2 who was pushed in by Shunt.

Winner: Ansgar 3

Terror Turtle (CAN) vs Snake Bite (SUI)
The battle started very slowly with both robots pursuing each other. Snake Bite attempted to catch Terror Turtle but the turtle outmanoeuvered it. Both robots then turned away from each other until Shunt almost axed Terror Turtle as the Canadian robot had strayed into his CPZ. Snake Bite was having problems catching Terror Turtle as it drove up Snake Bite's wedge, but it escaped the crusher. Snake Bite suffered a blow from Terror Turtle's disc which made a small slice in the rear armor and almost cut through Snake Bite's hydraulic cables. Terror Turtle then drove into the wedge of Snake Bite and was pierced with ease by the Swiss robot's crushing weapon. "Oh, Terror Turtle's driven straight into the crushing beak of Snake Bite, and there, you can see the damage..."

- Jonathan Pearce

Snake Bite continued to pierce the shell of Terror Turtle and the turtle's shell was starting to fill with holes as if it were made from tin foil. "Crumpled... Canadian... catastrophe"

- Jonathan Pearce as Snake Bite heavily damages Terror Turtle's armour

Snake Bite crushed its opponent once more before finally pushing the pit release button. The Swiss robot was hesitant at first, but eventually plucked up the courage, dropping the Canadian robot into the pit of oblivion.

Winner: Snake Bite

Gravity (NED) vs Scraptosaur (NED) vs Tough as Nails (NED)
Tough as Nails immediately employed its usual tactic of pressing the pit release button. It then grabbed Scraptosaur with its claws and quickly pushed Scraptosaur straight into the pit of oblivion, taking the Dutch Grand Finalist's hopes with it. "Now there is a form line here, Scraptosaur actually beat Gravity in the Dutch Robot Wars, but goes out of the World Championship eliminator straight away!"

- Jonathan Pearce as Scraptosaur is pitted instantaneously

Tough as Nails then chased Gravity around the arena and grabbed it, but Gravity escaped and flipped Tough as Nails once. This was no problem for the invertible Tough as Nails though and it grabbed Gravity again and pushed it into the pit with Scraptosaur. "...and then this freak [Tough as Nails] comes in and puts us in the pit!"

- WJ Dijkstra after the fight

Winner: Tough as Nails

Trivia

 * An error occurred during the Dutch qualifier - Jonathan Pearce stated that Gravity had defeated the 13th seed 13 Black. 13 Black was actually seeded 7th.
 * Including the Qualifiers, a record 13 nations were represented in the Third World Championship.