GBR Match Race Girls

Annie Lush

Annie is the powerhouse of the Match Race Girls trio, sailing in the middle of the boat, and adds a strong technical and analytical aspects to the team in addition to her wealth of experience sailing at the highest levels. It’s not easy to confuse her with team mates Lucy and Kate, standing at least 6 inches above them, though Annie brings a suitably larger than life character and enthusiasm to all proceedings.

Annie studied at Cambridge, including rowing in the winning crew of the 2001 Women’s boat race, before turning her passion for sailing into a full-time career. She has sailed with a number of professional teams from small keelboats to super yachts, and has been part of three Women’s Match Racing World Champion crews.

Profile

Name
Annie Lush

Born
Poole, 1980

Star sign
Aries

Siblings
It’s complicated! 3 half brothers and a step sister

Home club
Parkstone YC

Love most about sailing
Team work – when it all comes right!

Dislike most about the sport
Get wet lots!

Sports philosophy
Never say die

Greatest strength
Never give in

Greatest weakness
Don’t know when to stop!

First boat sailed and where?
I am sure it was when I was very small, but the first time I went sailing on my own was in an AB dinghy which only exists in Poole Harbour and there are about 100 of them there, and I grew up racing in one of those.

Favourite boat to sail?
Recently we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to sail on the back of the America’s Cup boats as part of the umpire team during the Louis Vuitton in Nice. But I would love to actually sail those boats properly and not just stand on the back!

Biggest influence in your career?
I think initially my dad and friends who got me into sailing, but racing and taking it to a higher level it has to be Shirley Robertson.

My best moment (sailing)?
After the Olympics in Athens in 2004, I wasn’t competing, I had trialled for it, but I was really quite young and had only been in the Performance squad for a year. I was Shirley’s training partner and was so excited about sailing. After that I joined a match racing team in the States and we won the World Championships, and then won them the year after, and it was just a period in my career where it was a great time, sailing was really fun, and I went beyond my own expectations.

My worst moment (sailing)?
In Hyeres, in one of the classic Mistral breezes, we had chartered a Yngling, and it leaked, and we started sinking! We sank whilst racing, it took us 2.5 hours to beat back upwind whilst bailing out.

My most embarrassing moment (sailing)?
Aged 17 at the 420 World Championships in Greece. I went to help another British team put there mast up (being the tallest girl there by miles), and they in turn went to help rig our boat. As we set out towards the start line for the practise race in an offshore breeze, with all our competitors watching from the shore whilst launching, we hoisted the kite. We were trying to impress them, doing a fast set…. But unfortunately whilst my helm was furiously pulling on the halyard it became clear the kite was tied on wrong and we were hoisting it upside down. It looked so ridiculous I was laughing so hard I couldn’t drop it very quickly. I could just hear a lot of applause and giggles from our competitors! One way to get noticed anyway!

Favorite place in UK to sail?
Its got to be home, Poole Harbour!

Best sailing venue in the World?
There are so many locations, Bermuda or Palma I think.

Do you support a football club and watch them?
Sunderland of course, and I watch the Newcastle Falcons.

If you weren’t a professional sailor what else would you be?
I think I would be involved in some kind of teaching, probably in sport.

How do you progress from a club sailor to an Olympic class sailor?
The progression from club sailing to Olympic sailing has many routes. I think you have to really, really love your sport. I think you need to maintain a healthy balance between sailing and your education when you are young, in order to progress. I think if you give up everything for sailing and training then you run the risk of getting fed up with the sailing.

Do you have a theme song?
Top Gun tunes

Any heroes?
Lance Armstrong, he’s just a full on 120% performer in everything that he does.

What would you love to do but never have the time or money for it?
Go on a holiday for a couple of weeks, seriously!

Other interests
Any water sports, rowing, dancing badly (whenever cheesy 90’s dance music is playing) and am currently trying to learn the piano

Worst habit?
Chatting to people on the way to the boat, so I keep my crew waiting on the dock!

Do you have any lucky charms or rituals?
I don’t like green on the boat.

Greatest fear or phobia?
Not a fan of heights.

Name 3 things that are always in your shopping trolley?
Semi skimmed milk, marmite and rin tins tea.

The last book you read?
Steve Redgrave’s autobiography

Favourite Music
Counting Crows – am a life long fan!