This rowing event is a sweep rowing event, meaning that each rower has one oar and rows on only one side. Four rowers crew each boat, and no coxswain is used. The competition consists of multiple rounds. Finals were held to determine the placing of each boat; these finals were given letters with those nearer to the beginning of the alphabet meaning a better ranking. Semifinals were named based on which finals they fed, with each semifinal having two possible finals.
With 13 boats in with heats, the best boats qualify directly for the semi-finals. All other boats progress to the repechage round, which offers a second chance to qualify for the semi-finals. Unsuccessful boats from the repechage are eliminated from the competition. The best three boats in each of the two semi-finals qualify for final A, which determines places 1–6 (including the medals). Unsuccessful boats from semi-finals A/B go forward to final B, which determines places 7–12.[ 1]
All times are Australian Time (UTC+10 )
Date
Time
Round
Sunday, 17 September 2000
11:30
Heats
Tuesday, 19 September 2000
11:10
Repechages
Thursday, 21 September 2000
09:50
Semifinals
Friday, 22 September 2000
11:10
Final B
Saturday, 23 September 2000
10:30
Final
The first three boats of each heat advanced to the semifinals, remainder goes to the repechage.
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
James Cracknell , Steve Redgrave , Tim Foster , Matthew Pinsent
Great Britain
6:01.58
Q
2
James Stewart , Ben Dodwell , Geoff Stewart , Bo Hanson
Australia
6:05.03
Q
3
Janez Klemenčič , Milan Janša , Rok Kolander , Matej Prelog
Slovenia
6:07.09
Q
4
Valeriu Andrunache , Adrian Bucenschi , Valentin Robu , Florin Corbeanu
Romania
6:14.00
R
5
Filip Filipić , Ivan Smiljanić , Boban Ranković , Mladen Stegić
FR Yugoslavia
6:16.46
R
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Valter Molea , Riccardo Dei Rossi , Lorenzo Carboncini , Carlo Mornati
Italy
6:04.59
Q
2
Michael Wherley , Eric Mueller , Jamie Koven , Wolfgang Moser
United States
6:07.36
Q
3
Kjetil Undset , Sture Bjørvig , Steffen Størseth , Nito Simonsen
Norway
6:13.14
Q
4
Paweł Jarosiński , Rafał Smoliński , Artur Rozalski , Arkadiusz Sobkowiak
Poland
6:22.00
R
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Daniel Fauché , Antoine Béghin , Laurent Béghin , Gilles Bosquet
France
6:08.57
Q
2
Dave Schaper , Scott Brownlee , Toni Dunlop , Rob Hellstrom
New Zealand
6:13.60
Q
3
Dirk Meusel , Jörg Dießner , Jan Herzog , Ike Landvoigt
Germany
6:13.62
Q
4
Hamdy El-Kot , El-Atek Mohamed , Tarek Hamid , Kamal Abdel Rehim
Egypt
6:21.10
R
First three qualify to semifinals.
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Filip Filipić , Ivan Smiljanić , Boban Ranković , Mladen Stegić
FR Yugoslavia
6:09.69
Q
2
Valeriu Andrunache , Adrian Bucenschi , Valentin Robu , Florin Corbeanu
Romania
6:11.24
Q
3
Hamdy El-Kot , El-Atek Mohamed , Tarek Hamid , Kamal Abdel Rehim
Egypt
6:13.73
Q
4
Paweł Jarosiński , Rafał Smoliński , Artur Rozalski , Arkadiusz Sobkowiak
Poland
6:15.75
First three places advance to Final A, the remainder to Final B.
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
James Cracknell , Steve Redgrave , Tim Foster , Matthew Pinsent
Great Britain
6:02.28
A
2
Janez Klemenčič , Milan Janša , Rok Kolander , Matej Prelog
Slovenia
6:04.07
A
3
Michael Wherley , Eric Mueller , Jamie Koven , Wolfgang Moser
United States
6:05.80
A
4
Daniel Fauché , Antoine Béghin , Laurent Béghin , Gilles Bosquet
France
6:07.77
B
5
Dirk Meusel , Jörg Dießner , Jan Herzog , Ike Landvoigt
Germany
6:15.12
B
6
Valeriu Andrunache , Adrian Bucenschi , Valentin Robu , Florin Corbeanu
Romania
6:15.14
B
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
James Stewart , Ben Dodwell , Geoff Stewart , Bo Hanson
Australia
6:02.03
A
2
Valter Molea , Riccardo Dei Rossi , Lorenzo Carboncini , Carlo Mornati
Italy
6:02.31
A
3
Dave Schaper , Scott Brownlee , Toni Dunlop , Rob Hellstrom
New Zealand
6:05.33
A
4
Kjetil Undset , Sture Bjørvig , Steffen Størseth , Nito Simonsen
Norway
6:08.55
B
5
Filip Filipić , Ivan Smiljanić , Boban Ranković , Mladen Stegić
FR Yugoslavia
6:08.82
B
6
Hamdy El-Kot , El-Atek Mohamed , Tarek Hamid , Kamal Abdel Rehim
Egypt
6:21.22
B
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Daniel Fauché , Antoine Béghin , Laurent Béghin , Gilles Bosquet
France
6:01.29
2
Filip Filipić , Ivan Smiljanić , Boban Ranković , Mladen Stegić
FR Yugoslavia
6:01.54
3
Kjetil Undset , Sture Bjørvig , Steffen Størseth , Nito Simonsen
Norway
6:04.28
4
Valeriu Andrunache , Adrian Bucenschi , Valentin Robu , Florin Corbeanu
Romania
6:06.73
5
Dirk Meusel , Jörg Dießner , Jan Herzog , Ike Landvoigt
Germany
6:08.11
6
Hamdy El-Kot , El-Atek Mohamed , Tarek Hamid , Kamal Abdel Rehim
Egypt
6:08.37
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
James Cracknell , Steve Redgrave , Tim Foster , Matthew Pinsent
Great Britain
5:56.24
Valter Molea , Riccardo Dei Rossi , Lorenzo Carboncini , Carlo Mornati
Italy
5:56.62
James Stewart , Ben Dodwell , Geoff Stewart , Bo Hanson
Australia
5:57.61
4
Janez Klemenčič , Milan Janša , Rok Kolander , Matej Prelog
Slovenia
5:58.34
5
Michael Wherley , Eric Mueller , Jamie Koven , Wolfgang Moser
United States
6:02.34
6
Dave Schaper , Scott Brownlee , Toni Dunlop , Rob Hellstrom
New Zealand
6:09.13