Jamestown, RI native sailing towards history in the Solo Maître CoQ 2025
LES SABLES D’OLONNE, FRANCE – Rhode Island-based offshore sailor Erica Lush is making her next attempt to qualify for the prestigious Solitaire Du Figaro this week in the Solo Maître CoQ race in Les Sables d’Olonne, France. This regatta is the final step in the qualification process for the Solitaire. If successful this week, Lush will be one of the first American women to qualify.
“I have learned an incredible amount over the past few months training for the Solitaire,” said Lush. “I’m ready to apply my sharpened skills in the Solo Maître CoQ and hope to announce my qualification when I return to shore.”
Lush will be sailing aboard her vessel Hope. She selected the name for the boat as a nod to the state motto of Rhode Island, as well as a reminder that tackling any challenge begins with a foundation of hope.
More information about Erica and her journey can be found at LushSailing.com. There, supporters and potential sponsors can sign up for her newsletter and donate to her campaign. To get updates from Erica in France, she can be followed on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
###
Erica Lush is a determined offshore sailor with a passion for adventure. Erica has covered 75,000+ nautical miles across oceans (that’s equivalent to more than 2 laps of the planet!). She has fought for her place in a male-dominated sport, and is committed to carving more space for women like her to push their own potential. In April 2024 Erica, along with the rest of the crew of Maiden, set history as the first all-female crew to win an around-the-world yacht race. Now she sets her sights on her hardest challenge yet: La Solitaire du Figaro in 2025. This single-handed marathon is one of the toughest training grounds in the world to reach the top level of offshore racing.
