Judges didn't really have a choice IMHO. The favorites did pretty badly.
Well, I think if that Worlds were judged by today's standards, the judges would have boosted the PCS of either Cohen, Suguri or both, and held down Meissner's so that either of Cohen or Suguri would have ended up as World Champion. (Meissner might have also lost points for underrotation.) Personally, I am not sure I would be happy with Suguri winning that one, and definitely not with Cohen, but that's what would have happened.
The one upside of that kinda judging: Meissner would have had less pressure on her next year. That World Champion title really set the expectations high for her.