Hailing from the Cévennes, Léo Debiesse learned to sail far from the sea. He trained at the Institut nautique de Bretagne (INB), where François Jambou was among his instructors, and worked as an instructor at the Glénans sailing school. A member of the Société des régates de Concarneau, he set up his own company, Avela, and describes himself as a sailor, boatbuilder, instructor and entrepreneur.
He started racing Mini 6.50s in 2018, in the Mini Fastnet and the Duo Concarneau. In April 2019 he bought Pogo 3 no. 966, which he raced as Kelyfos, then Avelasailing.com and finally Les Alphas. The 2020 season was his breakthrough: he won Les Sables – Les Açores en Baie de Morlaix and the Mini en Mai, took the French offshore solo championship in the production category and topped the Classe Mini ranking.
In 2021 he won the Trophée Marie-Agnès Péron and started the Mini Transat EuroChef on Les Alphas, backed by the publisher Récréalire, finishing fourth among production boats and second in the class's season ranking.
He then moved to Class40 alongside Nicolas d'Estais on no. 176 Café Joyeux: in 2023 they were 4th in Les Sables – Horta, 2nd in the 40 Malouine Lamotte and 18th in the Transat Jacques Vabre; in 2024 he finished 9th in the crewed Transat Québec Saint-Malo.
