Canadian skier Allison Forsyth will sit out the 2006-07 season because of a nagging left knee injury that prevented her from competing at the Torino Olympics.

Speaking during a Tuesday conference call, Forsyth told reporters her knee is not back to normal, calling her decision to skip the season "sad and frustrating."

Allison Forsyth hopes to ski in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
(Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

The 28-year-old from Canmore, Alta., underwent surgery after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament when she fell during a downhill training run in Italy on Feb. 13.

Forsyth, who has won five World Cup medals in her career, said she will continue to train and work toward returning to the slopes next season, with a long-term goal of representing Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Alpine Canada medical director Chris Irving said he and his medical staff are "very confident" that Forsyth will be ready to race next season.

Forsyth's 5th-place ranking in the 1999-2000 World Cup standings was the best by a Canadian woman since Kathy Kreiner in 1977.