Odd Martinsen

Who is Odd Martinsen?

Odd Martinsen was a Norwegian cross country skier who competed during the 1960s and 1970s. He won three medals at the Winter Olympics, a gold in the 4 x 10 km relay, and silvers in the 30 km and the 4 x 10 km relay. Martinsen won five medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, a gold in the 4 x 10 km relay, a silver in the 15 km, and bronzes in the 15 km, 30 km, and 4 x 10 km relay. At the 1969 Holmenkollen ski festival, he won the 15 km competition. For his cross country skiing successes in Norway and abroad, Martinsen received the Holmenkollen medal in 1969. Thirty-two years later, his daughter, Bente Skari, received the Holmenkollen medal, making them the only father-daughter combination to ever win the prestigious honor. Odd Martinsen was a member of Nittedal IL.

At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Martinsen was chief of competition for the cross country skiing competitions.