The 26-year-old Wanaka athlete notched up his fourth individual men's win at this year's event, which finished in Alexandra yesterday after three days of competition. He was more than an hour ahead of his nearest rival.
"It's still my favourite race, for all the same reasons as why I live here - the landscape and the people. You never match the experience you get in the Goldrush, not in any resort, all around the world," he said.
He said the attraction of the Goldrush never waned for him, although he admitted the weather this year was the roughest in the five years he has competed.
"It was scary on the kayak on Lake Roxburgh on the first day and then the mountain bike over the Knobby Range from Roxburgh was a struggle, too - it was so gusty and strong.
"The most memorable part for me, weather-wise, was the hailstorm at the top of Thompson Gorge [on Sunday]. By that stage, I thought, we've had it all, so why not have a bit of hail, too."
Sunshine yesterday was welcome, but it would have been boring if the sun had shone throughout, Allan said.
"It's part of the attraction. If it's rough weather - those white tops on the lake - the wind gusts that same day. It feels more of a test if you have to battle the weather, too."
In her first attempt at the Goldrush, Wanaka's Simone Maier (28) won the open women's title.
She is pleased she did -"not because I won, but because this event is really amazing. I think it's already one of my favourites. It's the incredible scenery, the people are so supportive, and it has a great atmosphere ... "
Like Allan, she said the rough weather had only made the event more memorable.
"I haven't done much kayaking, so I figured if I could survive that first leg on the lake when it was so choppy, then I'd be OK. Then in the mountain-bike leg, it was blowing like crazy."
The weather posed a few problems for the new organisers of the event, Tim Pearson, of Clyde, and Merryn Johnston, of Wanaka.
For the first time in the 16 years of the Goldrush, a stage was cancelled when rain on Sunday morning meant vehicles were stuck at the upper Manorburn.
