Now retired from formal competition, he won seven Uncle Toby's Super Series races and twice won The Coolangatta Gold.[1] Leech remained undefeated over surf's toughest event and in 1989 won the Uncle Toby's version titled the "Gold Coast Gold" which made it his third victory over that distance. By 1989 the sport had now gone professional, making the field assembled for the 1989 race far more elite than when he had won in 1984 and 1985. He also won the World Ironman Championships in Vancouver, Canada, in 1986 and the World Ocean Paddling Championship in Hawaii in 1994. Leech was once dubbed Australia's Fittest Athlete by the Australian Institute of Sport (1993).[citation needed]
In 2006, Leech appeared on the Seven Network's Australian Celebrity Survivor: Vanuatu, the second edition of Australian Survivor. He and 11 other celebrities were vying for a cash prize of A$100,000 to be donated to their nominated charity. Leech was initially voted out sixth (i.e. seventh place in the game) and his charity, Ride Aid Inc;[2] however, he returned to the game along with Justin Melvey due to a twist to the show which took Leech to the finals.[3] Ultimately Leech won, taking home an extra A$95000 for his charity. The money was used to build two schools in North Cambodia. In 2020 he was inducted into the inaugural Australian Survivor Hall Of Fame.[4]
Leech still trains daily, and delivers training sessions with paddling and cross-training strength exercises.[5]
Personal life
Leech is married and has two daughters living in Sydney's Northern Beaches.[6]
As a young man he used to work at The Warringah Sports and Aquatic Centre and was a member of Manly Surf Club where he used to train.[citation needed]
Leech also founded Heart 180 after the passing of his friend due to Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), with the mission of ensuring everyone in Australia has access to a heart defibrillator within 180 seconds.[5][7]
