Why don't spectator races take place in the same week as the WOC? I have been watching the WOC for many years and participating in spectator races, for the first time, since 2008, I'll have to choose between watching the WOC or participating in the races.

In the canton of Grison, big o-events like Swiss O Week are not granted the necessary permissions before July 15 due to environmental reason. WOC is obliged by the IOF to have a time-gap to Oringen (SWE) of one week. With the shortened SOW format (the first 3 days) you can attend all WOC finals and still run some in spectacular terrain within one week.