THE SIDELINES : Injury Sidelines Champion Skier

Defending World Cup overall champion Marc Girardelli is out of racing until February to allow time to nurse injuries sustained last month, his doctors said.

They told the Associated Press today that the skiing ace has just undergone surgery in Feldkirch, Austria, to remove a blood clot in his hip.

Girardelli will remain in the hospital for three days and will not be ready to race before February, his doctors said. That was expected to effectively ruin his chances at winning a record-tying fourth World Cup title this season.

Girardelli was one of many World Cup racers who sustained pre-Christmas injuries during races on artificial snow.