Jean Lessard’s alpine skiing prime arrived in the 1950s and reached its apex when he won the slalom, giant slalom, and combined titles at the 1959 Canadian Championships. By virtue of this achievement he was selected to represent Canada at the 1960 Winter Olympics, where he placed 31st out of 65 starters in the giant slalom. After the Games he was named ski director of the Mont Sutton resort in Quebec, a position that he would hold until his 1990 retirement, but remained active in competition for several years. While working at Mont Sutton, he also operated the Jean Lessard Ski Shop and Ski School and, in 1963, he was named director of the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance. A race at Mont Sutton, the Jean Lessard Invitational, was named in his honor.
Canada