An injured mountain biker rescued by the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter from the Summerhill Mountain Bike Trails on Sunday morning was flown to Tauranga Hospital.

Rodney Albertyn was out riding with a friend around 11am when they came across the injured man and his two riding companions.

“There were three Japanese – two men and one of their sons. They were down here from Auckland practising for the Aims Games,” Albertyn said.

“It was a slippery day out there and the coach came off around one of the corners and injured his leg quite badly. It looked to be a really severe ankle injury.”

The group waiting for the rescue helicopter crew member to land nearby. Screenshot / Rodney Albertyn

The group called Hato Hano St John.

“They sent a helicopter. I spoke to them and gave them the co-ordinates from my phone, and they came within 10 minutes.”

The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter lowered one of their Critical Care Flight Paramedics into the area.

“She was great, gave him some pain relief. And then we put his leg in a splint and carried him over to the clearing.

“The helicopter returned, picked them both up and lifted them out.

“She said it was a three-minute flight back to Tauranga Hospital.”

The crew member and injured mountain biker being winched up to the helicopter. Screenshot / Rodney Albertyn

Albertyn said the boy then cycled out of the park with his father.

“It happened about 10 to 15 minutes’ cycle from the main carpark.”

Albertyn said it was “awesome how they [Aerocool Rescue Helicopter] came, and they did a great job”.

The day had started out fine and sunny, but the track proved to be deceptive.

“We were all commenting beforehand on how slippery the track at Summerhill was,” Albertyn, who mostly goes mountain bike riding in the Redwoods and occasionally at Summerhill, said.

“Even though it wasn’t raining, there was residue from previous rain. We were slipping all over the place.”

The rescue helicopter hovering above the mountain bike trail at Summerhill. Screenshot / Rodney Albertyn

Summerhill, a 126ha property located in the Pāpāmoa Hills, comprises farmland, community spaces and hiking and cycling trails. Mountain Bike Tauranga has established 30km of mountain bike trails, ranging from grade 3-5, attracting intermediate to advanced riders.

A membership fee funds the upkeep of the trail network which is open seven days a week from dawn until dusk. An agreement with the Summerhill Charitable Trust ensures all trails meet national standards, are well sign-posted and safely maintained.

Mountainbike Tauranga posted to its Facebook page that it’s been a busy weekend with a swap meet held on Saturday followed by an Aims Games XC course working bee today.

Hato Hone St John was notified of the incident at 11.18am and dispatched one helicopter.

“One patient was airlifted to Tauranga hospital,” Hato Hone St John said.

The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter landed at a staging point on the Pāpāmoa Hills to offload equipment and prepare for winching the patient and Critical Care Flight Paramedic out.  Photo / Supplied

Philips Search & Rescue said the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Pāpāmoa Hills for a mountain biker who had sustained injuries following a fall.

“Due to the remote location, the patient required a winch extraction,” said Philips Search and Rescue Trust head of fundraising and marketing Sharni Weir.

“The Critical Care Flight Paramedic was winched down to the patient and administered care before both were extracted from the scene,” Weir said.

“At a nearby staging point, the patient was safely and securely transferred onboard the rescue helicopter and was then airlifted to Tauranga Hospital to receive further treatment.”

To support the work of the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter please click here