By HUGH McGOVERN
One of Worcester’s greatest athletes also is one of its least known. He is Gene Levasseur of 52 Hollywood St., a superb ski jumper.
It requires iron nerve, split-second timing and great skill to start down a runway, soar into space and, after traveling, in some cases, 200 feet, to land without mishap. Levasseur has those assets in great abundance, though he seems to deprecate his abilities.
However, in 1952 Levasseur was named as a member of the United States FIS (Federation of International Skiers) team, in itself is a high honor, since only the top daredevils of the hill are chosen. At that time Levasseur just missed out in the trials at Lake Placid, N.Y., to choose the three man squad to represent Uncle Sam in the world title competition in Finland.
Greatest Accomplishment
That has been the adopted Worcester man’s greatest accomplishment so far. However, he is going strong still and may add to his already proud record during jumps this winter, but in a new class.
Gene, now 32, will compete in
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the veterans’ class this winter. That category is for men 32 or more years old.
“There was a time when I used to do well,” Levasseur said in reviewing his career, “but ski jumping is young man’s sport. I do it now because I love to do it.”
Levasseur “fell in love” with ski jumping as a youngster in [Rumford] Maine.
“I started jumping when I was four or five,” Gene said. “I forget just when I first -realized the great thrill it provided. However I spent most of my time on snow jumping after that. Actually, I wasn’t a good recreational skier until I learned how while serving in Alaska with a U.S. Army experimental outfit, the 196th Regiment, which tested skis.”
Levasseur made his start in competitive skiing in Holden, par ticipating in a Scandinavian Ski Club-sponsored jump.
‘First Ski Meet’
“Probably my first ski meet has to be my greatest thrill,” he recalled. “I had the longest jumps, but I fell.
“Still I felt pretty good,” he continued. “The world looked good for a kid.”
Along with gaining a place on the 1952 FIS team, Gene twice captured the Massachusetts State
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championship. He won first in 1948 and repeated again either four or five years later.
“I’ve really forgotten” he laughed.
During his many years of jumping, Gene has competed against the greats of American skiing — Art Devlin and Art Tokle. Devlin has competed in the Olympic Games for this country, while Tokle is the brother of the immortal Torger Tokle, the “Babe Ruth of Skiing,” who was killed in action with the U.S. ski troops during World War II. He is a great jumper in his own right.
Tokle Greatest
“I really never gave Devlin or Tokle much competition,” Levasseur said. “Tokle was a real jumper, the greatest I ever met. Devlin, of course, is good, too.”
Levasseur, a self-employed landscape gardener, will be on the go virtually every weekend this winter, competing in jumps through out New England. “I’ll go where there is a jump and some snow,” he said.
It is unfortunate that Central Massachusetts ski enthusiasts will not have a chance to see Gene in action this winter, however. No jump competitions have been scheduled in this area.
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