Dave Scott

Dave Scott was born on January 4, 1954. He grew up in Davis, California, where he participated in basketball, football, and water polo. His athletic focus shifted to swimming at UC Davis, where he also twice won the Waikiki Rough Water Swim. Scott entered his first triathlon in San Francisco, a nine-mile bike, four-mile run, and 1,500m swim, which he won.

Scott’s career in triathlon began notably when he competed in his first Ironman in 1980, finishing in 9:24:33. This time was nearly two hours faster than the previous winner and marked a shift in Ironman racing from an endurance test to a competitive race. He went on to win the Ironman World Championship an unprecedented six times (1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987). His rivalry with Mark Allen, particularly the 1989 “Ironwar,” is a significant chapter in the sport’s history, where he finished second in a competitive race. In 1993, he was the first person inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame. Demonstrating longevity in the sport, Scott secured second place at the 1994 Hawaii Ironman World Championship at the age of 40, and fifth place in 1996.

After his competitive career, Scott transitioned into coaching, fitness consulting, and motivational speaking. He published his book, “Dave Scott’s Triathlon Training,” in 1986. Since 1999, he has served as the head coach for Team in Training, certifying coaches nationwide. He currently resides in Boulder, Colorado.