Erich's been ruling the Old Dominion state for several years now, and is currently ripping the streets of Richmond, VA. A former local of the DC scene, Erich's thrown down his share of bangers at Pulaski and Gold Rail. He isn't afraid to step to some big rails or get tricky on a ledge. Erich is smooth and has a unique posture on the board that make his style stand out. I'm willing to bet duckets that you'll be seeing more of this guy in skateboarding's near future. Erich is primed for whatever's next. - Dustin Umberger

Dustin: For those who don't know, state your name and vital stats.

Erich: Erich Bielefeldt, 22, live in Richmond VA, I guess that includes sponsors? Alien Workshop flow, Vans flow, and Dominion skateboard shop.

Dustin: You were a DC local for many years - what prompted the move down to Richmond? How would you compare the two skate scenes?

Erich: Well, I originally moved to Richmond to try to get my Bachelor's degree, and alot of my friends moved here to go to VCU, so I figured I might as well get out of my parents house. It's cheap to live here, and I'd visited a lot and already liked it. The skate scene in Richmond is alot smaller, but it's a lot tighter. Everybody knows each other. DC has way more spots to skate, and Virginia and Maryland are real close to it too. I think I was too young when I skated DC to really get tight with a lot of people though. I dont think the locals really liked Wolfpack, haha.

Dustin: For a minute there you were skating with Chris Cole and it seemed as if he was grooming you for some hook-ups. Do you still stay in touch with him? Describe your experiences skating with the Hot Wax crew.

Erich: I talk to him every now and again. I keep in touch with my friend Ian the most. I kind of blew that, I didn't realize the opportunity that I had and was just lazy or something. The Hot Wax dudes are awesome though. They are always down to skate. Never a dull moment at the Hot Wax house. I'd like to thank them for the fun times.

Dustin: What's the PWCC all about and who's in the crew? Do you still stay in touch with the guys who moved around?

Erich: PWCC, Prince William County Crew. I don't really remember how it started, I think it was almost a joke. We decided to make a video. It was Mike Butler, Jack Beckett, Sean O'dell, Kevin Clark, Sean and Warren Coughlin, and Billy Roper. Kevin O'Dell was the mastermind behind it of course. I lived with Mike last year, and still skate with him when he's not studying. I work with Sean and Jack and skate with them all the time. I hung out with Billy in LA last summer, he's still ripping of course. Unfortunately I havent talked to the other dudes in a long time. I dont know what they've been doing. That was a very fun video to make, kind of embarassing to watch though.

Dustin: Your part in the latest Dominion vid definitely turned some heads. What's next for you? Do you have any specific goals for the skateboard game?

Erich: I've just been trying to skate as much as I can. I would love to try to make it happen with skating you know. Who knows, go am maybe? I got lucky and got on flow for Workshop and I dont want to mess that up. I just want to get better and have fun doing it.

Dustin: You were one of the regular heavy hitters at Skate Night in Fairfax. I think that era definitely got people together and nurtured the scene in DC. Any fond memories?

Erich: Man, everytime I skated there was great. I want to thank Bart (Damer) for letting me go there and skate and holding private sessions and stuff. It was so much fun, I met alot of cool people. I was a senior in high school, had no job, and no worries. It was great.

Dustin: What's up with Wolfpack? Are they still going strong? Are there any local companies in the DC/VA/MD area that you're feeling at the moment?

Erich: Unfortunately, Wolfpack did go under a few years ago. It's now more a crew than anything else. Chris Jordan actually started printing shirts again though. Check them out here at wolfpackskateboards. com. The only local company that I really know of is Convoy Skateboards. I like that they have been doing things like holding contests and stuff, and they help out dudes who deserve it. You should look at the website.

Dustin: Answer honestly - Is Richmond not a seething cesspool of hipster art weirdos and total pot heads?

Erich: Richmond is pretty weird. A lot of art school kids, scenesters, just real weird people. But there are also alot of awesome people too. I've met alot of great people here. A lot of interesting bums too.

Dustin: You recently returned from a trip to San Diego. What are your impressions of the West Coast and do you think you'll ever relocate to Cali?

Erich: I was actually out in San Diego for like 4 or 5 months. I got lucky and managed to rent a room at a house with a pool, trampoline, and pool table. That was cool. I got a job at Black Box and met a lot of rad people. The only problem was that it's pretty expensive. I dont think I was really ready to live there yet. I would definitely like to go back out though, it's insanely beautiful there and living by the beach is a great thing.

Dustin: What were your feelings about the nickname "Harry Potter" circa 2002?

Erich: Oh man, I would like to thank the little kid who gave me that nickname. As much as I hated it, it did help me get noticed a little more. There are still people who come in Dominion and ask if I'm Harry Potter from Skate Night.