Alumni Athletes Return for Annual Last Lap Reunion

September 18th 2026

On Friday 18 September, Alleyn's welcomed back some of its finest alumni athletes for the 18th annual Last Lap Lunch, a tradition celebrating the legacy of David Fournel (Spurgeon's 1957) and the enduring spirit of Alleyn’s sport and friendship.

The reunion, which began in the Great Hall where guests were warmly welcomed by Head, Jane Lunnon, brought together generations of Alleyn’s sports stars – many of whom were record-breaking athletes in their time.

The event was coordinated with dedication by Barry Graham (Brading's 1956), whose longstanding commitment to the Last Lap Club and the Fournel Cup has helped preserve and promote the legacy of David Fournel who was a fine sportsman. When David passed away, the Last Lappers, with David's wife, Judith, established the Fournel Cup in his honour, to be awarded for sporting promise.

The Fournel Cup was first awarded in 2008 and is now awarded at the Alleyn's Sports Awards each year. Previous winners include Ben Tinkler-Davies (Tyson's 2016), who represented Great Britain in water polo, Olympic diver Eden Cheng (Roper's 2021) and GB sailor Daisy Collingridge (Brown's 2018).

Guests were thrilled that Daisy was able to make it to this year’s lunch to hear her sporting journey and what it meant to her to be awarded the Fournel Cup while at school. A two-time national champion and two-time World Cup medallist, she has been part of the British Sailing Team since her time at Alleyn's. Daisy is now competing to qualify for Team GB in the ILCA 6 (female single-handed dinghy) for LA 2028 and has been campaigning full-time since graduating from the University of Bath.

The Last Lappers were also delighted this year to be joined by Paul Graham (Tulley’s 1997) who was a school record holder for the High Jump in 1997. It was wonderful to hear what sport was like at Alleyn’s in his day. Some of other alumni took the chance to share their stories, including Peter Jackson (Dutton’s 1957) who was part of the 1956 Athletics team and Mark Houslop (Roper’s 1967) who captained the team in 1964 – Alleyn’s most successful Athletics team to date and Bob Richardson (Roper's 1964) who went on to run for Great Britain. The final alumnus to say a few words was Paul Selwyn (Brading's 1964) who we were honoured to have with us with his wife on their 50th wedding anniversary - Thank you for being with us!

The lunch was also attended by current pupils, whose achievements across a range of sports are already making their mark. Their presence was a reminder that the spirit of sporting excellence continues to thrive at Alleyn's and that the achievements of today's pupils will become part of the School's sporting story for years to come.

As the afternoon drew to a close with coffee, conversation and a group photograph, attendees reflected on the joy of reconnecting with old friends and celebrating a legacy that continues to inspire.

We are deeply grateful to both longstanding and newer members of the Last Lap Club, whose stories, achievements and continued support enrich the Alleyn's community each year.

Find a full album of photos from the day below and on our Always Alleyn's Flickr page.

Flickr album: 2026 Last Lap Reunion | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin