Rhode Island Sailor Erica Lush Begins Training for Prestigious French Offshore Race Series

Trailblazing local athlete aims to open doors to elite offshore sailing for more women and Americans in the 2025 Solitaire du Figaro

Photo: Cate Brown

NEWPORT, RI AND LORIENT, FRANCE - Professional sailor and Rhode Island resident Erica Lush has arrived in Brittany, France to train for 2025’s La Solitaire du Figaro (The Solitaire). The Solitaire is a circuit of offshore regattas that is known as the toughest training platform for offshore racing. Erica is seeking to be one of the first American women to compete in the storied event. By training for and participating in these regattas, Lush hopes to carve more pathways for women into the highest levels of offshore sailing and begin to re-establish the US as a powerhouse nation in the sport.

“Everyone has the ability to tackle big challenges,” said Lush. “With my journey to The Solitaire, I want to show the world that female and American sailors have the ability and potential to reach the highest echelons of offshore sailing. No challenge in this arena is too big for us to take on.”

Lush, a graduate of North Kingstown High School and Boston University, is no stranger to offshore sailing. Before arriving in France in January to begin training, she had already logged 75,000+ offshore miles, most recently as a member of Maiden, the first all-female crew to win an around-the-world yacht race. En route to The Solitaire’s starting line, she will train in a series of solo and double-handed races, while learning the ins and outs of the boat she will race in the main event in September of 2025.

“I want to show that, with dedication and the right resources, the US can reassert its prowess in offshore sailing. Anyone who wants to help champion that effort is invited to follow along with me and support my mission.”

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.