The pair will be hoping celebrations do not get too out of hand at the Central Otago Sports Awards dinner in Wanaka this evening, given the brutal endurance ride which awaits them tomorrow morning.
Williams, who is up against Wanaka triathlete Nicky Samuels for the Central Otago sportswoman of the year, has a big challenge to try to topple Millers Flat multisport endurance athlete Kath Kelly from her Epic perch.
Kelly has been in a class of her own in winning all three previous Epic races.
The field is wide open in the men's event, with 2010 winner Tim Wilding, of Wellington, back to try to break the 5hr mark for the race.
Wilding, who worked for race sponsor Contact Energy, was 42sec over the 5hr mark which has been broken by only three riders during the event's history.
Southland mountain-bike specialist Marcus Roy holds the race record of 4hr 44min 8sec, which was achieved in the first Epic race in 2008 on a course which was later found to be several kilometres shorter than the promoted 125km.
Wilding's time of 5hr 42sec is the fastest over the correctly measured course.
Multisporter Allan, one of seven male athletes vying for the Central Otago sportsman of the year award tonight, is making his debut in the arduous ride which traverses two remote high-country stations in the back blocks behind Lake Hawea.
He will face stiff competition from the likes of 2009 Epic winner Brent Miller and event bridesmaid David Drake, who should be chomping at the bit after finishing second twice and in fourth place last year.
Epic race director Danielle Nicholson said there had been about 500 entries, split across the two race rides of 125km and the shorter 95km Contact Classic, which leaves from Kidds Bush.
Race numbers were slightly down for the event, which starts at 7am from the Lake Hawea dam.
Contact Epic
Endurance race
•125km circumnavigation of Lake Hawea
•95km Classic race from Kidds Bush to township
•500 entries
•7am start tomorrow
