Press Release – Surf Life Saving Northern Region The rescue of a badly injured surfer off a remote beach near Karekare has won Rescue of the Year at Surf Life Saving Northern Region’s annual Awards of Excellence in Auckland on Saturday (subs: 17 July). The Award was presented jointly to United North Piha Lifeguard Service (UNPLS) and the Piha Paid Lifeguard Service whose lifeguards combined to effect the rescue on 17 February this year. Lifeguards at the two clubs were alerted to the surfer’s plight by members of the public who had spotted him from a walking track above the beach at Mercer Bay writing “HELP” in the sand before collapsing. The Patrol Captain at UNPLS immediately tasked the Rescue Water Craft (RWC) to respond, and requested a crew member from Piha SLSC, to ensure both patrols continued to operate unaffected.