Defending overall ski champion Lara Gut has knee surgery

Published Feb. 23, 2017 8:49 a.m. ET

GENEVA (AP) Defending overall World Cup champion Lara Gut has had surgery on her injured left knee.

Gut announced on Facebook that the operation to repair her torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn meniscus was completed in Geneva earlier this week.

After thanking her surgeon, physiotherapists and team, the Swiss skier also thanked ''every single person which has helped me going through those days.''

Gut was injured while training between runs of the Alpine combined event at the world championships in St. Moritz two weeks ago.

The season-ending injury leaves American rival Mikaela Shiffrin in position to win her first overall title.

Entering this weekend's races in Crans Montana, Shiffrin holds more than a 400-point lead in the standings over the next active challenger, Sofia Goggia of Italy.