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. As a lightweight rowing event, rowers were limited to a maximum body mass of 72.5 kilograms each and 70 kilograms on average. The competition consisted 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 14 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
Monday, 18 September 2000
09:40
Heats
Wednesday, 20 September 2000
09:40
Repechages
Friday, 22 September 2000
09:10
Semifinals
Saturday, 23 September 2000
11:30
Final B
Sunday, 24 September 2000
09:10
Final
The first three boats of each heat advanced to the semifinals, remainder goes to the repechage.
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Laurent Porchier , Jean-Christophe Bette , Yves Hocdé , Xavier Dorfman
France
6:09.32
A/B
2
Iain Brambell , Chris Davidson , Gavin Hassett , Jon Beare
Canada
6:10.37
A/B
3
Roland Händle , Björn Spaeter , Thorsten Schmidt , Marcus Mielke
Germany
6:16.37
A/B
4
Jorge Morgenstern , Herbert Jans , Christián Yantani , Miguel Cerda
Chile
6:21.10
R
5
Keisuke Murai , Atsushi Obata , Hiroya Sato , Yasunori Tanabe
Japan
6:22.31
R
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Simon Burgess , Anthony Edwards , Darren Balmforth , Robert Richards
Australia
6:11.42
A/B
2
Joris Trooster , Jeroen Spaans , Simon Kolkman , Robert van der Vooren
Netherlands
6:14.37
A/B
3
Helfried Jurtschitsch , Bernd Wakolbinger , Martin Kobau , Wolfgang Sigl
Austria
6:16.94
A/B
4
Dmitry Kartashov , Andrey Shevel , Sergey Bukreyev , Aleksandr Zyuzin
Russia
6:17.01
R
5
Neville Maxwell , Neal Byrne , Gearoid Towey , Anthony O'Connor
Ireland
6:18.94
R
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Salvatore Amitrano , Franco Sancassani , Catello Amarante , Carlo Gaddi
Italy
6:14.89
A/B
2
Marc Schneider , Greg Ruckman , Paul Teti , Tom Auth
United States
6:16.36
A/B
3
Mark Raeside Rowand , Ross Hawkins , Roger Tobler , Mike Hasselbach
South Africa
6:17.88
A/B
4
Søren Madsen , Thomas Ebert , Eskild Ebbesen , Victor Feddersen
Denmark
6:21.30
R
First three qualify to semifinals.
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Søren Madsen , Thomas Ebert , Eskild Ebbesen , Victor Feddersen
Denmark
6:08.63
A/B
2
Dmitry Kartashov , Andrey Shevel , Sergey Bukreyev , Alexandre Zyuzin
Russia
6:10.35
A/B
3
Neville Maxwell , Neal Byrne , Gearoid Towey , Anthony O'Connor
Ireland
6:13.00
A/B
4
Jorge Morgenstern , Herbert Jans , Christián Yantani , Miguel Cerda
Chile
6:15.49
5
Keisuke Murai , Atsushi Obata , Hiroya Sato , Yasunori Tanabe
Japan
6:18.56
First three places advance to Final A, the remainder to Final B.
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Simon Burgess , Anthony Edwards , Darren Balmforth , Robert Richards
Australia
6:00.82
A
2
Laurent Porchier , Jean-Christophe Bette , Yves Hocdé , Xavier Dorfman
France
6:00.85
A
3
Marc Schneider , Greg Ruckman , Paul Teti , Tom Auth
United States
6:05.13
A
4
Helfried Jurtschitsch , Bernd Wakolbinger , Martin Kobau , Wolfgang Sigl
Austria
6:10.11
B
5
Neville Maxwell , Neal Byrne , Gearoid Towey , Anthony O'Connor
Ireland
6:10.30
B
6
Roland Händle , Björn Später , Thorsten Schmidt , Marcus Mielke
Germany
6:15.75
B
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Salvatore Amitrano , Franco Sancassani , Catello Amarante , Carlo Gaddi
Italy
6:00.82
A
2
Søren Madsen , Thomas Ebert , Eskild Ebbesen , Victor Feddersen
Denmark
6:01.67
A
3
Mark Raeside Rowand , Ross Hawkins , Roger Tobler , Mike Hasselbach
South Africa
6:02.09
A
4
Iain Brambell , Chris Davidson , Gavin Hassett , Jon Beare
Canada
6:02.49
B
5
Joris Trooster , Jeroen Spaans , Simon Kolkman , Robert van der Vooren
Netherlands
6:03.25
B
6
Dmitry Kartashov , Andrey Shevel , Sergey Bukreyev , Alexandre Zyuzin
Russia
6:15.31
B
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Iain Brambell , Chris Davidson , Gavin Hassett , Jon Beare
Canada
6:04.31
2
Joris Trooster , Jeroen Spaans , Simon Kolkman , Robert van der Vooren
Netherlands
6:05.96
3
Helfried Jurtschitsch , Bernd Wakolbinger , Martin Kobau , Wolfgang Sigl
Austria
6:10.11
4
Dmitry Kartashov , Andrey Shevel , Sergey Bukreyev , Alexandre Zyuzin
Russia
6:09.12
5
Neville Maxwell , Neal Byrne , Gearoid Towey , Anthony O'Connor
Ireland
6:09.84
6
Roland Händle , Björn Später , Thorsten Schmidt , Marcus Mielke
Germany
6:15.31
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
Laurent Porchier , Jean-Christophe Bette , Yves Hocdé , Xavier Dorfman
France
6:01.68
Simon Burgess , Anthony Edwards , Darren Balmforth , Robert Richards
Australia
6:02.09
Søren Madsen , Thomas Ebert , Eskild Ebbesen , Victor Feddersen
Denmark
6:03.51
4
Salvatore Amitrano , Franco Sancassani , Catello Amarante , Carlo Gaddi
Italy
6:03.77
5
Mark Raeside Rowand , Ross Hawkins , Roger Tobler , Mike Hasselbach
South Africa
6:07.67
6
Marc Schneider , Greg Ruckman , Paul Teti , Tom Auth
United States
6:10.09