History of the Becky Stuart Race

Pictured right, Steve Stuart.

By Steve Stuart 

My wife Becky and I, (Steve Stuart), were some of the founding members of the Paopao Outrigger Canoe Club which started in 1996. This was also the year Becky was diagnosed with melanoma cancer in her left hand. 

Becky was involved with and pretty well-known in the Oceanside community. Becky graduated from U.C.S.B. with a degree in Aquatic Biology and over the following 15 years she was a: Research assistant at U.C.L.A. and Scripps Research, lifeguard/swim instructor at Brooks St. pool, and bodysurfing instructor for the Oceanside surf camp—"a paid vacation." Becky was also a chemistry teacher at El Camino H.S., science teacher at MLK Middle School, and swim team coach for the Oceanside Swim Club. She was a swim team coach at El Camino High School along with myself and Bill Porter, another founding member of Paopao Outrigger. She was a competitive triathlete with a swimming background who placed in most of the local races she entered. 

While Becky was always open for an outdoor adventure from mountain biking to backpacking, if you asked what her favorite activity was, it would be playing with her kids, David and Melissa. Becky was training with our early club members to sit seat one in the canoe but by the time we entered our first race, surgeries had rendered her unable to grip the paddle effectively so she never had the opportunity to race.

Those members who knew her can tell you she was always positive, always had a smile, and was well-loved by the community, her students, the club, and most of all, our family. She was accused of "always seeing the world through rose-colored glasses," and she was just fine with that.

Becky went through almost three years of immuno-therapies, chemotherapy regimes, and surgeries. Becky passed away due to complications from her cancer on November 30, 1998, a few days before we hosted our first winter race. The board members voted to name the race after Becky, an honor which her family is extremely appreciative of. 

If I can interject a personal note here—for several years after Becky's death, the outrigger club became my second family. Their care, outreach, and encouragement were a significant factor in me keeping my head above the water. Never underestimate, or forget, the positive impact you as individuals and as a club can have on others’ lives.

In 1998, Paopao Outrigger was still a fledgling club and was looking for fundraisers to buy new boats and equipment. Kathy Dunn, a member with several years of racing experience, helped establish and run the first race in December of 1998. The proceeds from that first race were donated to our family. In those early years, we made it a tradition to donate a portion of the profits to local charities which have included the Oceanside Boys and Girls Club and the Junior Olympic paddling teams. We also felt it was appropriate to use a portion of the profits for our Keikis. For the first race in 1998, Charlie White suggested we feed the racers baked potatoes afterwards. Obviously, that tradition has stuck).

I organized the race for about six years with an abundance of help from our great club members who make all things possible. When I felt I no longer had the energy, expertise, or time to improve upon and expand the race, George and Molly Bishop stepped in and did a fantastic job. When I re-married, my wife Erin graciously and happily inherited the job of "head chili chef." Our family jokes that Erin tries to "feed the world." In this case, I suppose "feed your paddling ʻohana" might be more appropriate. The rest is recent history. Wear your sunscreen and pray for sun and swells at your back.