Warrnambool Kart Club encourages people to take steward training

Cook, whose son Ryan races karts, said the sport was out of action with Victorian tracks closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

So he is undertaking courses as part of Karting Australia's new Online Officials Training Academy.

People from across Australia can engage in free online training to complement the traditional face-to-face training that occurs in each state.

"It's just more efficient," Cook said.

The academy features programs including the core officiating courses, Stewarding and Technical.

The nationwide initiative means all officials will receive a consistent message as everyone has access to the same content.

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The course will ultimately cater for beginners right through to the highest-ranked karting officials.

Cook, who has been a steward for the past 12 months, is the taking the chance to upskill.

He said he'd usually have to attend an in-person training weekend in Melbourne every two years to retain his level four certificate (base level).

So he's pleased he won't need to travel as much.

The online training means he can cover his level four training and work towards level three.

Cook said it was great the training was standardised rather than each state having its own course.

His said events attracted stewards from all over Australia and they could have different interpretations.

"There shouldn't be any contradictions (now)," he said.

The vice-president added many of the sport's stewards were getting older and he hoped the online training would get more young people interested in taking on the role.

Cook said WKC only had four stewards - what's needed to run a meet.

He encouraged anyone, even if not yet involved with the club, to take up the training.

"It'll make it easy to race on the weekend when we can go back to racing," he said.

People can enrol for trianing via the Karting Australia website.

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