[2] The event was won by the United Team of Germany, the nation's second consecutive victory in the men's coxed four (though with an entirely new crew from 1960).

Italy earned its third straight medal in the event, all of different colours, with a silver in Tokyo (also with an entirely different crew in 1964 than 1960).

[2] The United Team of Germany had won the 1960 Olympics and West Germany had won the 1961 European championships, the 1962 World Championship, and the 1963 European championships; the West German crew (the same five who won the 1963 European title) that competed for the United Team here was heavily favoured.

However, they had been beaten two months before the Olympics at the 1964 European championships by the Soviet Union, which sent the same team to Tokyo.

The coxed four event featured five-person boats, with four rowers and a coxswain.