Stellenbosch's popular Street Mile Festival, which is being held for the seventh time this year, will see a new champion being crowned tomorrow. The defending champion and Olympic athlete, Johan Cronjé, will not be able to defend his title due to an operation and a bunch of upcoming athletes are eager to battle it out for the title.

This unique race in the tree-lined Victoria Street takes place on Wednesday 8 March 2017 at 18:00 and again forms part of Stellenbosch University's (SU) Woordfees (Wordfest).

This year, the Street Mile boasts its own unique logo and medals. A special trophy will also be awarded for the first time: athletes managing a dream mile (a mile in under 4 minutes) will have their names engraved on a copper plate on the trophy.

The first Dagbreek Street Mile was held in 2011 in honour of SU alumnus De Villiers Lamprecht – the first South African athlete to run the dream mile (the mile in under 4 minutes). He achieved this feat on 13 November 1964 at Coetzenburg in Stellenbosch.

Cronjé has won the race three times and recorded the first Victoria Street dream mile – in 2015. Last year's runner-up, Llewellyn Groeneveld, is a favourite to win the title, while Duwayne Philander is also a strong contender. He boasts a best time of 4.04, achieved during the Street Mile in Oudtshoorn in December. This race forms part of the Eden series which is also held in Mosselbaai and Hartenbos. He took part in the SA Senior Championships in the 5000m as well as the SA Cross-country Championships and the SA u23 championships. This will be his first Dagbreek Street Mile.

Zaid Williams, winner of last year's u19 men's race, returns this year to partake in the elite race. Another newcomer is Lukhanyo Ndobaka with a best mile of 4:25. He also took part in the SA Junior athletic championships in the 5000m and 10 000m, as well as the SA Cross-country Championships. Heinrich Wagner is another athlete who took part in the Oudtshoorn Street Mile. His best time is 4:14.

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Several races will again take place: men, women, schools (boys and girls u15 and u19) and elite, whilst an exciting skateboard race is again part of the programme.

"Last year, none of the athletes achieved a dream mile, however, a dream mile was completed in the skateboarding division," says Mr Francois Fouche, organiser of the Street Mile race. "The skateboard race took place for the first time last year, and to our knowledge is the only street mile for skateboarders in South Africa. The winner was Walter Barlou with a time of 3:41.41. Last year, skateboarding achieved Olympic status and will be offered for the first time at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.

Between the races, there will be music to lend a festive air to the day and there will be performances by the 12-year-old singing sensation Dirja Lekas. She was the winner of the Young Divas Unite competition in 2016.

R30 000 in prize money is up for grabs this year, as well as a lucky draw. The first 10 athletes in each race will receive medals as well as the first 30 athletes in the open men's and women's categories. The entrance fee in R30.

Sponsors include Puma, PNA, Asla, SU's Development and Alumni Relations Office, Eikestadnuus and Submerged Industrial. Coke is providing the refreshments.