Bente Skari, née Martinsen, (born 10 September 1972) is a Norwegian former cross country skier. She is one of the most successful cross country skiers ever.

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 (5 km: 1999, 10 km: 2001, 2003, and 15 km: 2001, 2003) from the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, as well as two silver (4 x 5 km: 1997, 2001) medals. She won the overall cross-country skiing World Cup four times before retiring after the 2002/2003 season.

Skari also won the women's 30 km event at the Holmenkollen ski festival in 2003. In 2001, she received the Holmenkollen medal (shared with Adam Małysz and Thomas Alsgaard). 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.

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.

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