FIGURE SKATING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS : Browning, Sato Upstage Field

Kurt Browning and Yuka Sato each won their first World Professional Figure Skating Championships stunningly Saturday night by upsetting the usually unbeatable.

Browning rallied in the free skate to beat Brian Boitano, a six-time winner of the event. The Canadian used “a hunk of funk” to collect five perfect 10.0s and two 9.9s from the judges in the free skate, worth 50% of the total score.

Skating to “Brick House” by the Commodores, Browning’s rubber-legged act wowed the crowd of 18,150. It also so impressed the judges--the top and bottom scores were thrown out--that he received a 49.9 for the routine.

Viktor Petrenko of Ukraine, the 1992 Olympic champion, was third, followed by Paul Wylie.

Japan’s Sato, who won the 1994 amateur world championship on what many considered a hometown decision, stamped herself as a genuine force with 98.8 points.

Sato, at 22 the youngest skater in the singles field, won both the technical and free skate programs in edging 1992 Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi (98.3), a two-time winner of the event.

Nancy Kerrigan was disappointing, looking rusty and finishing fourth in what is planned as her only significant individual competition this season. Denise Biellmann of Switzerland was third.

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean easily won the dance championship with nine 10.0s.