THE SIDELINES : Skier Roffe Returns After Fall

American skier Diann Roffe headed back to the United States today after an abrupt halt to a ski season that had started with promise.

She fell Wednesday in the training for a downhill race in the World Cup of Alpine Skiing and injured her left knee, necessitating further examinations.

The 23-year-old from Williston, Vt., tumbled midway through the course in a practice run.

“The doctor examined her and there is a problem with the ligaments of the left knee but he doesn’t know how serious,” said Kristin Krone, one of Roffe’s teammates. “According to the doctor, Diann could miss about three weeks (to) six months.”

Roffe has had problems in the past with her knees. Before she was 20 she had surgery four times, twice on each knee.

At 17, Roffe won the world giant-slalom championship in 1985, becoming the youngest woman at the time ever to win a medal in world competition.

Roffe was off to a fast start this season. She finished sixth in the slalom and eighth in the Val Zoldana, in Italy, on the opening weekend.