[1] For the third Olympics in a row, Great Britain was the most successful nation, topping the medal table with three golds and two silvers.

The majority of the qualifying places were awarded based on the results at the 2015 World Rowing Championships, held at Lac d'Aiguebelette, France from August 30 to September 4, 2015.

[4] Further berths were distributed to the nations (and in this case to specific competitors) at four continental qualifying regattas in Asia and Oceania (except for Australia and New Zealand), Africa, Latin America, and Europe (with the additional participation of the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand), and at a final Olympic qualification regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.

[2] After the first day of the competition, many rowers voiced their frustration about the rough conditions on the water.

New Zealand rowers Emma Twigg and Mahé Drysdale talked about the regatta being about "survival rather than skill", and Rowing New Zealand lodged an official complaint with the organisers for not postponing the first day when conditions became "unrowable".