Australia's winter athletes are managing external expectations of a best-ever Olympics in February ahead of a key lead-up event in New Zealand.
Six months out from the Pyeongchang Games in South Korea, there's a growing belief the Australian winter team could win more gold medals than its summer Games counterparts in Rio (eight) last year.
The country is preparing to send a 12-strong team to the NZ Winter Games, the first major championships of the snow sports season.
Snowboarding world champion Scotty James and Olympic gold medallist Torah Bright are set to compete in the halfpipe from late August, alongside fellow medal contenders Holly Crawford, Nathan Johnstone and Russ Henshaw and Tess Coady.
James, one of the country's two winter sports world champions with moguls skier Britt Cox, will head the Australian charge to the 2018 Games.
Alex Pullin, Belle Brockhoff (snowboard cross), Lydia Lassila, Danielle Scott, (aerial skiing), and Matt Graham (moguls) won events in last season's World Cup series.
Johnstone, who will compete in his second Olympics next year, said the team had blocked out the noise.
"I don't think there's high expectations," he told AAP.
"It's just the kind of Aussie mentality, everyone just wants to give it a good crack, so there's not pressure coming from up above.
"It's more pressure coming from athletes individually. You're only getting as much pressure as you're putting on yourself."
Johnstone backed his snowboard halfpipe teammate James to win gold in Pyeongchang provided he keeps building momentum.
"It looks like he's kicked up a gear," Johnstone said.
"If the season he's had hasn't showed everyone he can win a gold medal, I don't know what they expect."
The NZ Winter Games will be held in the country's Southern Lakes region from August 25 to September 10.
Johnstone said it was the perfect way to begin the Olympics campaign.
"It's just a good starting block leading to the northern hemisphere winter," he said.
"It gives us the best possible chance to get our legs back, work on new tricks and building confidence leading to the northern season."
