I agree it is a pity - but it is not merely a question here of SO1R versus SO2R.
To me SO1R and SO2R are essentially the same - both are true single op - SO2R is just a single op station that is more complicated and sophisticated and harder to BUILD.
The real issue here is ASSISTED or NOT ASSISTED - packet/skimmer/helper ops make you ASSISTED. If you have no help then you are a true SINGLE OP (UNASSISTED) competitor - and this class (whether it is SO1R or SO2R) should be retained by the committee - otherwise the contest loses much of the history of the original CQWW richness.
Without the SINGLE OP UNASSISTED class of entry, then the CQWW I have known since 1955 is finished.
73 JEFF VY2ZM,K1ZM,VY2ZMM,W1BB