FIGURE SKATING : Bobek, 13, Upset Winner of Women’s Title

Thirteen-year-old Nicole Bobek of Chicago scored an upset victory in women’s singles over Tonia Kwiatkowski of Broadview Heights, Ohio, who was considered the favorite after placing fourth in this year’s U.S. championships.

Bobek’s victory came only 11 days after she suffered a concussion while practicing at Broadmoor Skating Club in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“I felt really good out there and I just went out and I tried everything,” said Bobek, who introduced new programs at the Festival and won both the original and free-skating programs.

“When I got toward the end and I hit my triple loop, I was the happiest person in the world.”

Bobek wasn’t sure she would be able to compete after she slipped and her head hit the boards during a July 3 practice.

“At first, we said, ‘No way,’ ” said Bobek, who finished eighth in the U.S. championships this year and seventh in last year’s Olympic Festival. “But then I said, ‘Yes.’ There was no way I would miss this.”

Kwiatkowski, 20, landed awkwardly on two of her jumps during Sunday’s free skating and almost slipped to third behind 12-year-old Joanna Ng of Woodland Hills, a crowd favorite who finished strong after having trouble on her first jump.

In men’s competition, Todd Eldredge of Chatham, Mass., two-time U.S. champion and bronze medalist at the world championships this year, dominated, earning the highest marks from all seven judges for his long program.

Eldredge, who has concentrated on his showmanship, had six scores of 5.9 and one of 5.8 for artistic presentation. “Hopefully, the work has paid off,” he said.

In pairs competition, Todd Sand of Costa Mesa and Natasha Kuchiki of Canoga Park weren’t the crowd’s choice, but they withstood a strong challenge from Rocky Marval of New Egypt, N.J., and Calla Urbanski of Chicago to win.

The marks awarded to Marval and Urbanski, who also finished second behind Sand and Kuchiki at the U.S. championships, were booed.

“I can’t do anything about the marks,” said Urbanski, at 31 the oldest skater in the competition. “I can only do what we’re trained to do and what we do best. It’s not in our hands.”

Sand fell near the end of Sunday’s long program, but his error did not seem to be reflected in his pair’s scores. “It looked to me that the judges were looking at the program in its entirety,” said John Nicks, who coaches Sand, 27, and Kuchiki, 14, at the Ice Capades Chalet in Costa Mesa.

In dance competition, U.S. champions Jerold Swallow of Northfield, Mich., and Elizabeth Punsalan of Sheffield Lake, Ohio, beat defending festival champions Michael Verlich and Jeanne Miley of Long Beach.

“Liz and I went into this evening with the attitude, ‘We’ve got mileage on this program, it’s been successful for us in the past,’ ” Swallow said.