In a second rescue, lifeguards providing water safety at the Loan Market Oceanside Tauranga Half Ironman responded to an emergency involving a competitor in difficulty during the swim, SLSNZ said.
The athlete signalled for help and was retrieved using an inflatable rescue boat (IRB).
CPR was commenced in the IRB before the patient was transferred to event medical staff on shore.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand said it understood resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful and offered condolences to the person’s friends, family and whānau.
Police confirmed the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
SLSNZ lifesaving general manager Andy Kent said summer was now past the halfway mark, but rescue demand remained high.
“Our teams are working incredibly hard to identify risks early, direct people to swim between the flags, and respond quickly when things go wrong.
“But the safest choice beachgoers can make is to swim at a patrolled beach and always stay between the red and yellow flags.”
He said with more people heading to the coast and spending longer periods in the water, SLSNZ was continuing to see rescue numbers track higher than usual for this point in the season.
“Many of these rescues are occurring outside flagged areas, where conditions such as rip currents can quickly catch people out.”
With high beach numbers expected to continue through the remainder of summer, SLSNZ urged beachgoers to plan ahead before entering the water.
Beach users were encouraged to check SafeSwim for real‑time information on conditions and to confirm whether beaches are patrolled.