Laid-back snowboarding star Nate Johnstone is targeting gold at the Winter Olympics

SURFIE or Winter Olympian? Globetrotting jetsetter or humble guy who lives in a small flat underneath his grandma's place?

SURFIE or Winter Olympian? Globetrotting jetsetter or humble guy who lives in a small flat underneath his grandma's place?

Both, actually. Snowboard half-pipe rider Nate Johnstone is the true blue face of the modern Winter Olympian.

While some people still think of winter sportsmen and women as spoiled brats from wealthy families, here's an Australia Day snapshot of a wintry world champ who could be the bloke from over the back fence.

The 23-year-old from the Sydney northern beaches suburb of Mona vale is hungrier for Olympic glory than most. Johnstone injured his ankle in training just before the Vancouver Games and had to pull out at the last minute.

His loss was Australia's loss. The following season, Johnstone won the 2011 half-pipe World Championship in Spain.

Nate Johnstone.

on the headphones and pump up the volume to prepare for an event as dynamic as half-pipe. Not our Nate.

"I remember at the world champs it was starting to get away from me," he says.

"There was no snow that year. There was literally just the half-pipe and then there was dirt. So I sat with dirt and grass all around and just relaxed a bit."

It worked. He won.

"I generally like to complete when I'm feeling relaxed and not super hyped up," he says.

No kidding.

Johnstone likes to surf. It also relaxes him and helps with fitness too. He's not too fussed about which break. Any strip of sand within a few minutes of drive of Mona Vale will do.

Sometimes he'll even pop down to Dee Why to share a wave or two with his good mate and fellow Sochi gold medal aspirant Alex "Chumpy" Pullin. The two also train together at the nearby Narrabeen Academy of Sport.

Nate Johnstone doesn't mind a surf when he's not on the slopes.

"It's good to have someone to train and work with every day," Johnstone says.

"Pretty much all my mates are tradies or work in offices in the city each day. In the gym, Chumpy and I are always pushing each other to lift more and get stronger. It's a good vibe."

Johnstone's form this season has not been great. Blame that on a niggling Achilles injury and some bad weather overseas. Blame it on the boogie if you like.

Point is, his form is irrelevant. Like many of our winter Olympians, Johnstone is saving his best for Sochi. The biggest obstacle for many athletes is their own mindset. For this mature, calculating young veteran, it's Shaun White.

The American winter sports legend, aka "The Flying Tomato", is gunning for his third straight half-pipe gold in Sochi. He's long been the benchmark in this event. Still is.

In October, White came all the way to Perisher in the NSW Snowy Mountains to train. He built himself a personal half-pipe made of piled-up leftover winter snow, and practised away from prying eyes.

Johnstone was training in New Zealand at the time. He wasn't invited to share White's pipe, despite being sponsored by Perisher. It's a measure of the man's character that he didn't whinge about it then or afterwards. Mind you, he did admit to being extremely curious.

"I'd like to ask Shaun if we can come ride it when he's finished," he joked at the time.

Here's hoping that cheeky surfer's grin is beaming broadly after Sochi.