Cross Country mourns the loss of Odd Martinsen

With the passing of Odd Martinsen, the Cross-Country community lost a truly passionate and visionary figure who played a key role in shaping the modern era of the sport.

Throughout his life, he dedicated himself to the sport of skiing in many different levels — as an athlete, volunteer, race director at the Lillehammer Olympic Games, and as an influential figure within FIS.

From 1986-2002 he served as the head of the Cross-Country Committee in the International Ski Federation.

Uroš Ponikvar, the Chairman of the FIS Cross-Country Committee today, shared his condolences on the passing of our ski family member:

Odd Martinsen was not only an outstanding competitor but also a driving force behind the sport’s evolution. As Chairman of the FIS Cross-Country Committee for 17 years, he led with wisdom, respect, and remarkable diplomatic skill.

During his tenure, he skillfully balanced differing perspectives — from the innovative proposals of Central European members to the more traditional approaches of Scandinavian representatives. Under his guidance, the late 1990s and early 2000s became a transformative era for cross-country skiing, marked by the introduction of new competition formats such as sprint, team sprint, mass start, and skiathlon.

Through his vision and dedication, Odd Martinsen helped shape the modern identity of cross-country skiing, ensuring its continued growth and appeal to new generations. His legacy will remain an enduring part of the sport’s history.

The FIS Cross-Country family sends our deepest condolences to Odd Martinsens family and all ski friends who got to spend time on the ski course, experiences and good memories with Odd.