Raymond takes ECJ victory in Imola Guillaume Raymond from France became the first rider to convert a pole position into a win in this year’s PATA European Junior Cup, powered by Honda Racing, taking victory in yesterday’s fourth round at Imola and with it a slender championship lead. Kiwi Jake Lewis made the best start, leading for most of the opening lap from the front row of the grid, but, as the tightly-packed Honda CBR500R-mounted field completed lap one, it was local rider Kevin Manfredi who crossed the line first, with Lewis and Britain’s James Flitcroft in hot pursuit. Raymond didn’t make the best of starts, ending lap one in sixth place, but by lap three the Frenchman had edged in front. As the riders began the second half of the race a leading group of 12 were tightly bunched as Richard Bodis and fellow Hungarian Peter Sebastyen recorded the fastest laps of the race to join the party at the front of the field, dragging Andrea Zanella (Italy), Hannes Soomer (Estonia) and Alessandro Zaccone with them. Jake Lewis tangled with Adrien Pittet at the end of lap six, the pair unable to continue. The crash split the leading group and, with just one lap to go Raymond, Manfredi, Michael Canducci (Italy), Flitcroft and Bodis were covered by less than half a second. Going into the final chicane for the last time, Canducci and Manfredi both went down, leaving Raymond clear to take the victory ahead of an ecstatic Richard Bodis, with Augusto Fernandez making the most of the last lap carnage to grab the final podium position. Fourth place went to the fighting James Flitcroft who produced his best result of the season while Illan Fernandez (Spain) and Peter Sebastyen completed the top six. 2013 Pata European Junior Cup powered by Honda Racing Round four – Imola, Italy Result: 1 Guillaume Raymond (FRA) 2 Richard Bodis (HUN) 3 Augusto Fernandez (ESP) 4 James Flitcroft (GBR) 5 Illan Fernandez (ESP) 6 Peter Sebastyen Championship standings after four of eight rounds: 1 Raymond 48, 2 Michael Canducci (ITA) 46, 3 Robin Anne (FRA) 38, 4 Jake Lewis (NZL) 41, 5 A Fernandez 36, 6 Sebastyen 35 Next round: Silverstone, UK – 4 August