[2] The event was won by the Danish team, rowers Finn Pedersen and Tage Henriksen and coxswain Carl-Ebbe Andersen; it was the first medal in the men's coxed pair for Denmark.

Italy won its second consecutive silver medal (though 12 years apart), with Giovanni Steffè, Aldo Tarlao, and cox Alberto Radi.

Hungary also earned its first medal in the event, a bronze for Antal Szendey, Béla Zsitnik, and cox Róbert Zimonyi.

The Hungarian rowers were a slight favorite; Antal Szendey and Béla Zsitnik were the reigning European champions.

France made its seventh appearance, the only nation to have competed in all editions of the event to that point.