Dave began swimming as a child and at the age of 11 first appeared in the local newspaper completing a sponsored swim to raise money for a disability charity. He was a strong swimmer, though not fast, being unable to kick with any power. Although a regular recreational swimmer, he didn't compete until taking up Triathlon in 2008.
His swimming passion is not in the pool, but in open water. He's taken part in the Stert Island Swim twice in recent years (having originally been part of the kayak safety crew for the event), though in 2009 it was held on the same weekend as the Bedford Triathlon. His most recent event was the Weymouth Sea Swim, a sponsored swim for the British Heart Foundation. Dave completed the 1 mile distance across the bay in around 30 minutes, exiting the water with the first twenty or so swimmers, of a field of five hundred.
Dave trains weekly with Somerset RC Tri Club at a Taunton Pool, under coach Helen Smith. Typical sessions consist of speed work, drills and distance sessions, totalling around 2k per session. He also tries to get to the pool at least every other week for a 1500-2000m stint.