Celebs line up for the 2017 Oakley X Over

21 June 2017 by Craig Jarvis

The fourth edition of the popular celebrity crossover sports event - the Oakley X Over powered by Sharp – is heading back to JBay. The Oakley X Over is one of the highlights of the JBay Winterfest, and the high-profile sporting celebrities add much excitement to the festival.

The Oakley X Over comprises three disciplines, and the athletes are put through their paces in their hunt for the coveted title. The golf tournament takes place at The Links Golf Course in St Francis, the mountain bike race heads off from the Fountains Mall in JBay, and the much-heralded surfing contest venue is the Lower Point in JBay.

“As the anticipation builds for Oakley X Over 2017, we have the strongest field of supreme athletes to date, which includes debuts for AB De Villiers, Jean De Villiers and Schalk Burger,” said X Over founder and Oakley South Africa Sports Marketing and Events Manager Seth Hulley.

The Oakley X Over powered by Sharp kicks off on Thursday 20 July with the Mountain Bike event. The race starts at 12PM from the Fountains Mall and will consist of 15km route, finishing back at the mall.

The athletes head over to the St Francis Links Golf Course for their nine-hole tournament. Hosted by Jeff Clause, the golf tournament is always a popular leg of the X Over, is well attended by fans and media, and brings the best out of the athletes. The golf also signals the end of the event, and the points can finally be tallied.

Confirmed athletes for the Oakley X Over 2017:

Dale Steyn, AB De Villiers, Ryan Sandes, Raynard Tissink, Ruan De Smidt, Garreth McLellan, Greg Minnaar, Lance Isaacs, Nick De Wit, Kerim Fitzgerald, Bob Skinstad, Butch James, John Smit, Jean De Villiers, Schalk Burger, Seabelo Senatla, Tonderai Chavhanga, Jordy Smith, Tom Whitaker (Australia) and radio and TV personality Ryan O’Connor.

Photo: Former Bok captain John Smit and Hlonipha Skelm from St Francis College share a moment at the 2016 Oakley X Over