Two years of hard work and preparation was put to the test in The Netherlands overnight as the Black Fins took on the first day of this year's Lifesaving World Championships.

The Simulated Emergency Response Competition marked the first events for the national team's competition at Rescue 2016 the Pieter van den Hoogenband pool in Eindhoven.

Papamoa's Natalie Peat and Omanu Beach's Max Beattie competing in the Simulated Emergency Response Competition at Rescue 2016 overnight. Supplied photo.

The SERC events are designed to test the initiative, judgment, knowledge, and abilities of four lifesavers who, acting as a team, apply lifesaving skills in a simulated emergency situation unknown to them prior to the start.

Team captain Andy McMillan (St Clair) along with Max Beattie (Omanu), Natalie Peat (Papamoa) and Devon Halligan (Omanu) competed for the Black Fins. They finished the SERC events in sixth place overall behind France, Japan, Spain, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Team manager Mark Weatherall says the work coach Jason Pocock and the team put in leading up to the event proved to be invaluable.

'We are very happy with the placing and look forward to building on the solid start we made,” says Mark.

The Rescue 2016 opening ceremony took place following the SERC events with the majority of the team attending, aside from the swimmers who stayed back to focus on their final preparation.

They now have two days of racing ahead of them in the pool with a rest day on Friday before two more days of competition on the beach in Noordwijk.

The New Zealand Youth team, the Junior Black Fins, begin their events later tonight (NZ time) on the beach in Noordwijk.

The biannual World Lifesaving Championships is the blockbuster event for lifesavers around the world.

With several thousand competitors taking part, it is the largest international lifesaving sport competition in the world. All the events are based around rescue capability and are specific to saving people's lives.

The Black Fins are aiming to take out the national teams' title for the third time in a row after first prising the title from Australia in Adelaide in 2012 and again in France in 2014.

For a full list of Rescue 2016 results visit http://livetiming.lifesaving2016.com/

THE BLACK FINS TEAM:

• Andrew McMillan- St Clair (captain)
• Steven Kent- Titahi Bay
• Max Beattie- Omanu
• Cory Taylor- Midway
• Paul Cracroft-Wilson- Fitzroy
• Chris Dawson- Midway
• Samantha Lee- Lyall Bay
• Laura Quilter- Wainui
• Danielle McKenzie- Mairangi Bay
• Devon Halligan- Omanu
• Natalie Peat- Papamoa
• Olivia Eaton- Mt Maunganui

• Coach: Jason Pocock
• Assistant coach: Steven Ferguson
• Technical Support Coach: Brett Robinson
• Manager: Mark Weatherall
• Physio: Susan Pirret