Kate Leeming

As an explorer/adventurer, Kate has cycled a distance greater than twice around the world at the Equator. On August 16th 2010 she became the first person to cycle an unbroken line from Africa's most westerly to its most easterly points; from Pointe des Almadies, Senegal to Cape Hafun, Puntland, Somalia. Cycling 22,040 km over ten months, Kate's Breaking the Cycle in Africa Expedition was not only a physical quest but an odyssey to highlight the development needs and activities of war-torn and poverty-stricken nations. Cycling through twenty countries, Kate aimed to find out what is being done to give a 'leg up' rather than a 'hand out' - to shine a positive light on the issues, cultures and geography of Africa. In June 2019, Kate completed another original expedition when she became the first person to cycle the entire Namibian coastline, a 1621km sand cycling expedition from the mouth of the Kunene River on the Angolan border to the Orange River mouth on the South African border Kate has two earlier world firsts under her belt - the Trans-Siberian Cycle Expedition (1993) when she became the first woman to cycle across the new Russia unsupported (aiding the children of Chernobyl), and the 25,000km Great Australian Cycle Expedition (2004/05) which included the first bicycle crossing of the Canning Stock Route by a woman. Kate's latest challenge, Breaking the Cycle South Pole, will result in the first bicycle crossing of the Antarctic continent via the South Pole (2020). The Breaking the Cycle education program aims to help prepare our future leaders to make informed decisions to create a better world. Students across the globe can follow her preparatory activities and Antarctic expedition and partake in the Breaking the Cycle Education learning modules and lessons with the end goals of creating their own projects. In March 2016, The University of Western Australia awarded Kate an Honorary Doctor of Education degree for services to education and community. She is a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society (UK), a member of The Explorers Club (New York), an Honorary Advisor for the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award and a Scout Ambassador. Kate's Australian and African expeditions were Official Activities for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNESCO). In 2014, Kate's documentary 'Njinga' won two awards at the Action on Film International Film Festival in Los Angeles - best cinematography and best documentary (sport). 'Njinga', Kate's second book, complements the documentary; her first, Out There and Back, chronicles the Australian expedition.