This rowing event is a quadruple scull event, meaning that each boat is propelled by four rowers. The "scull" portion means that each rower uses two oars, one on each side of the boat; this contrasts with sweep rowing in which each rower has one oar and rows on only one side. 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 13 boats in 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
10:30
Heats
Wednesday, 20 September 2000
10:10
Repechages
Friday, 22 September 2000
09:30
Semifinals
Saturday, 23 September 2000
11:50
Final B
Sunday, 24 September 2000
09:50
Final
The winner of each heat advanced to the semifinals, remainder goes to the repechage.
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Marco Geisler , Andreas Hajek , Stephan Volkert , André Willms
Germany
5:51.60
Q
2
Jochem Verberne , Dirk Lippits , Diederik Simon , Michiel Bartman
Netherlands
5:54.57
Q
3
Karol Łazar , Sławomir Kruszkowski , Adam Bronikowski , Michał Wojciechowski
Poland
5:58.09
Q
4
Leonides Samé , Eusebio Acea , Yoennis Hernández , Yosbel Martínez
Cuba
6:00.67
R
5
Liu Jian , Liang Hongming , Hua Lingjun , Li Yang
China
6:16.48
R
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Peter Hardcastle , Jason Day , Stuart Reside , Duncan Free
Australia
5:52.09
Q
2
Oleksandr Marchenko , Oleh Lykov , Oleksandr Zaskalko , Leonid Shaposhnykov
Ukraine
5:53.03
Q
3
Yvan Deslavière , Guillaume Jeannet , Sébastien Vieilledent , Samuel Barathay
France
5:54.85
Q
4
Raphael Hartl , Horst Nußbaumer , Arnold Jonke , Norbert Lambing
Austria
5:59.41
R
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Agostino Abbagnale , Alessio Sartori , Rossano Galtarossa , Simone Raineri
Italy
5:45.67
Q
2
Simon Stürm , Christian Stofer , Michael Erdlen , André Vonarburg
Switzerland
5:49.11
Q
3
Sean Hall , Ian McGowan , Nick Peterson , Jake Wetzel
United States
5:50.29
Q
4
Stijn Smulders , Arnaud Duchesne , luc Goiris , Björn Hendrickx
Belgium
5:56.79
R
First three qualify to semifinals.
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Leonides Samé , Eusebio Acea , Yoennis Hernández , Yosbel Martínez
Cuba
6:04.45
Q
2
Raphael Hartl , Horst Nußbaumer , Arnold Jonke , Norbert Lambing
Austria
6:05.65
Q
3
Stijn Smulders , Arnaud Duchesne , luc Goiris , Björn Hendrickx
Belgium
6:10.11
Q
4
Liu Jian , Liang Hongming , Hua Lingjun , Li Yang
China
6:16.80
First three places advance to Final A, the remainder to Final B.
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Marco Geisler , Andreas Hajek , Stephan Volkert , André Willms
Germany
5:48.92
A
2
Peter Hardcastle , Jason Day , Stuart Reside , Duncan Free
Australia
5:50.26
A
3
Simon Stürm , Christian Stofer , Michael Erdlen , André Vonarburg
Switzerland
5:53.07
A
4
Yvan Deslavière , Guillaume Jeannet , Sébastien Vieilledent , Samuel Barathay
France
5:54.68
B
5
Stijn Smulders , Arnaud Duchesne , luc Goiris , Björn Hendrickx
Belgium
5:56.36
B
6
Karol Łazar , Sławomir Kruszkowski , Adam Bronikowski , Michał Wojciechowski
Poland
6:02.11
B
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Agostino Abbagnale , Alessio Sartori , Rossano Galtarossa , Simone Raineri
Italy
5:44.08
A
2
Jochem Verberne , Dirk Lippits , Diederik Simon , Michiel Bartman
Netherlands
5:47.80
A
3
Oleksandr Marchenko , Oleh Lykov , Oleksandr Zaskalko , Leonid Shaposhnykov
Ukraine
5:48.15
A
4
Sean Hall , Ian McGowan , Nick Peterson , Jake Wetzel
United States
5:49.89
B
5
Raphael Hartl , Horst Nußbaumer , Arnold Jonke , Norbert Lambing
Austria
6:00.27
B
6
Leonides Samé , Eusebio Acea , Yoennis Hernández , Yosbel Martínez
Cuba
6:01.39
B
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
1
Sean Hall , Ian McGowan , Nick Peterson , Jake Wetzel
United States
5:49.76
2
Karol Łazar , Sławomir Kruszkowski , Adam Bronikowski , Michał Wojciechowski
Poland
5:51.79
3
Stijn Smulders , Arnaud Duchesne , luc Goiris , Björn Hendrickx
Belgium
5:54.17
4
Yvan Deslavière , Guillaume Jeannet , Sébastien Vieilledent , Samuel Barathay
France
5:55.41
5
Raphael Hartl , Horst Nußbaumer , Arnold Jonke , Norbert Lambing
Austria
5:57.58
6
Leonides Samé , Eusebio Acea , Yoennis Hernández , Yosbel Martínez
Cuba
6:00.63
Rank
Rower
Country
Time
Notes
Agostino Abbagnale , Alessio Sartori , Rossano Galtarossa , Simone Raineri
Italy
5:45.56
Jochem Verberne , Dirk Lippits , Diederik Simon , Michiel Bartman
Netherlands
5:47.91
Marco Geisler , Andreas Hajek , Stephan Volkert , André Willms
Germany
5:48.64
4
Peter Hardcastle , Jason Day , Stuart Reside , Duncan Free
Australia
5:50.32
5
Simon Stürm , Christian Stofer , Michael Erdlen , André Vonarburg
Switzerland
5:54.88
6
Oleksandr Marchenko , Oleh Lykov , Oleksandr Zaskalko , Leonid Shaposhnykov
Ukraine
5:55.12