Leo Groarke: Trent president and expert kayaker

By day, they toil in the ivory tower’s rarefied air. After hours, they break out surfboards, silks and a bed of nails. These are the stories of Canada’s most adventurous university faculty and staff. Click here for the rest of our Hidden Talents series.

Leo Groarke: When Trent president Leo Groarke sees some good-looking waves out his window, he just can’t resist them. He’s got a pair of kayaks stored in his office—and four more at home—and he makes the 12-m trek to the Otonabee River and spends his lunch hour de-stressing in gorgeous scenery with bald eagles and blue herons overhead. “It’s important to stay balanced,” he says. “Some people paint paintings, other people do woodworking, and for me, it’s kayaking.”