I guess the original Olympics consisted exclusively of individual challenges, but you are right, there's no rule excluding teams or giving preference to individual events.

I picked the original "best man/woman wins" criteria and stuck to it. In my opinion, individual venues are clearer and more definitive. You know precisely who is the best, who is the current hero.

If you win a medal rowing with eight other guys, are you the "best rower"? Not necessarily. Your's is the best team, but if that other guy replaced you, wouldn't they win the same? And wouldn't a combination of rowers from the second and third places make an even better team? You never know for sure.

Now, if you win in a single skiff, there's no possible doubt.

If the international rowing asociation (or whatever they call it) would be forced to downsize to two classes, the obvious choices would be the single skiff and single canoe.

Likewise, if ISAF would be forced to downsize the Olympic sailing event, I think they should focus more on the individual classes, that are also cheaper and more popular. The IOC is already heading this way, so we'd rather start this discussion now, least "our leaders" decide it all among themselves.