Bente Skari


Bente Skari, née Martinsen, is a Norwegian former cross-country skier. She is one of the most successful cross-country skiers ever.

Career

She won her first Olympic medals in 1998, and won her first gold medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics, coming from behind to beat the favourites Olga Danilova and Julija Tchepalova in the last kilometers of the 10 km classical event. She also won a bronze medal in 30 km classical as well as a silver medal in the relay.
Additionally, she won five gold medals from the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, as well as two silver medals. She won the overall cross-country skiing World Cup four times before retiring after the 2003 season.
Skari also won the women's 30 km event at the Holmenkollen ski festival in 2003. In 2001, she received the Holmenkollen medal. Her father, Odd Martinsen, earned the Holmenkollen medal in 1969. They are the only father-daughter combination to ever win this prestigious honour.
In 1998, she won Tjejvasan.

FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2011

In 2007, Skari was named as the first woman race administrator in cross country skiing. She assisted in the 2007-08 Tour de Ski, working as an assistant technical delegate in the events held in the Czech Republic. This is part of the Norwegian Ski Federation's effort to promote more women in management positions in skiing.

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation.

Olympic Games

Year Age 5 km 10 km 15 km Pursuit 30 km Sprint 4 × 5 km
relay
199522—13———
1997248—178Silver
199926Gold—84
200128GoldGold515Silver
200330GoldGold———

World Cup

Season titles

Individual podiums

No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlace
1 1996–97 18 December 1996 Oberstdorf, Germany10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
2 1996–97 3 November 1997 Sunne, Sweden1.0 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
3 1997–98 22 November 1997 Beitostølen, Norway5 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
4 1997–98 10 December 1997 Milan, Italy1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
5 1997–98 13 December 1997 Val di Fiemme, Italy5 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
6 1997–98 8 January 1998 Ramsau, Austria10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
7 1997–98 9 January 1998 Ramsau, Austria5 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
8 1998–99 10 December 1998 Milan, Italy0.6 km Sprint FWorld Cup3rd
9 1998–99 13 December 1998 Toblach, Italy10 km Pursuit CWorld Cup1st
10 1998–99 19 December 1998 Davos, Switzerland15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
11 1998–99 27 December 1998 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
12 1998–99 28 December 1998 Engelberg, Switzerland1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
13 1998–99 29 December 1998 Kitzbühel, Austria1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
14 1998–99 5 January 1999 Otepää, Estonia10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
15 1998–99 9 January 1999 Nové Město, Czech Republic10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
16 1998–99 22 February 1999 Ramsau, Austria5 km Individual CWorld Championships1st
17 1998–99 7 March 1999 Lahti, Finland10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
181999–0027 November 1999 Kiruna, Sweden5 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
191999–0018 December 1999 Davos, Switzerland15 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
201999–0028 December 1999 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
211999–0029 December 1999 Kitzbühel, Austria1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
221999–0012 January 2000 Nové Město, Czech Republic10 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
231999–0028 February 2000 Stockholm, Sweden1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
241999–003 March 2000 Lahti, Finland1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup2nd
251999–005 March 2000 Lahti, Finland15 km Mass Start CWorld Cup2nd
261999–008 March 2000 Oslo, Norway1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
271999–0017 March 2000 Bormio, Italy5 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
282000–0125 November 2000 Beitostølen, Norway10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
292000–0116 December 2000 Brusson, Italy10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
302000–0120 December 2000 Davos, Switzerland15 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
312000–0128 December 2000 Engelberg, Switzerland1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
322000–0114 January 2001 Soldier Hollow, United States1.0 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
332000–011 February 2001 Asiago, Italy1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
342000–0110 February 2001 Otepää, Estonia5 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
352000–017 March 2001 Oslo, Norway1.0 km Sprint CWorld Cup2nd
362000–0110 March 2001 Oslo, Norway30 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
372000–0118 March 2001 Falun, Sweden10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
382001–0224 November 2001 Kuopio, Finland10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
392001–028 December 2001 Cogne, Italy5 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
402001–0215 December 2001 Davos, Switzerland10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
412001–0219 December 2001 Asiago, Italy1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
422001–025 January 2002 Val di Fiemme, Italy5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/FWorld Cup2nd
432001–028 January 2002 Val di Fiemme, Italy15 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st
442001–025 March 2002 Stockholm, Sweden1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
452001–0213 March 2002 Oslo, Norway1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
462002–0330 November 2002 Kuusamo, Finland10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
472002–037 December 2002 Davos, Switzerland10 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
482002–0314 December 2002 Cogne, Italy15 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st
492002–0315 December 2002 Cogne, Italy1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
502002–0321 December 2002 Ramsau, Austria5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/FWorld Cup1st
512002–0312 January 2003 Otepää, Estonia15 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st
522002–0318 January 2003 Nové Město, Czech Republic10 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
532002–0325 January 2003 Oberhof, Germany10 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st
542002–0315 February 2003 Asiago, Germany5 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
552002–036 March 2003 Oslo, Norway1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
562002–038 March 2003 Oslo, Norway30 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
572002–0311 March 2003 Drammen, Norway1.5 km Sprint CWorld Cup1st
582002–0316 March 2003 Lahti, Finland10 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
592002–0320 March 2003 Borlänge, Sweden1.5 km Sprint FWorld Cup1st
602002–0322 March 2003 Falun, Sweden5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/FWorld Cup1st

Team podiums

Note: Until the 1999 World Championships, World Championship races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

Overall record

Note: Until 1999 World Championships and 1994 Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races are part of the World Cup. Hence results from those races are included in the World Cup overall record.

Personal life

Bente Skari was named Martinsen before marrying Geir Skari in 1999. She is the mother of three children, Filip, Oda and Selma.