CITY FOCUS:

The surfers on Bolsa Chica State Beach Saturday rode the waves for two hours. Some were amateurs, while others were trying it again after a long absence from the sport.

It could have been any group surfing event, except that everyone on the boards faced disabilities that the less-informed might think would keep them out of the water permanently.

As part of the nonprofit organization Life Rolls On Foundation’s nationwide program “They Will Surf Again,” 125 volunteers helped 24 participants with spinal cord injuries attain freedom and independence on the ocean.

Volunteers surrounded the surfers in the water, offering them tips and helping them back onto their boards if they wiped out while getting their bearings.

It’s not the only time surfers with Life Rolls On Foundation have made a showing in Huntington Beach.

Their yearly exhibitions at the U.S. Open of Surfing have raised money for medical research.

“They Will Surf Again” events travel the country so more disabled people can experience their lives, said Life Rolls On Foundation Program Director Seth Rosenzweig.

“It’s about getting young people affected by spinal cord injuries out surfing and celebrating their abilities,” he said. “It’s about the opportunity to live and experience life. These people may have a disability, but they’re definitely still able.”

The 12th such event was the largest yet, according to Life Rolls On Foundation’s website. While the group has sponsored them four times a year so far, Rosenzweig said its goal is to make it happen once a month, somewhere in America.

The participants come from all backgrounds, he said.

“There are some people who prior to their injury were surfers,” he said. “Others say they never surfed in their lives, but always wanted to try it.”