16 crews entered in two heats. The top two finishers from each of the heats advanced directly to the finals while the remaining teams were relegated to the semifinals.
Heat 1
1.
Ning Menghua , Wang Jing , Wen Yanfang , and Zhao Xiaoli (CHN )
1:36.15
QF
2.
Shelia Conover , Alexandra Harbold , Cathy Marino-Geers , and Traci Phillips (USA )
1:36.74
QF
3.
Viorica Iordache , Claudia Nicula , Carmen Simion , and Sanda Toma (ROU )
1:36.82
QS
4.
Annacatia Casagrande , Amalia Calzavara , Chiara Dal Santo , and Lucia Micheli (ITA )
1:38.82
QS
5.
Françoise Lasak , Bernadette Brégeon , Isabelle Boulogne , and Anne Michaut (FRA )
1:39.27
QS
6.
Denise Cooper , Lynda Lehmann , Gayle Mayes , and Anna Wood (AUS )
1:39.32
QS
7.
Pavlína Jobánková , Jitka Janáčková , Vladimíra Havelková , and Ivana Vokurková (TCH )
1:40.57
QS
8.
Bonka Pindzheva , Mariya Kichukova, Kinka Racheva , and Tanya Georgieva (BUL )
1:43.59
QS
Heat 2
1.
Éva Dónusz , Kinga Czigány , Rita Kőbán , and Erika Mészáros (HUN )
1:32.94
QF
2.
Agneta Andersson , Maria Haglund , Anna Olsson , and Susanne Rosenqvist (SWE )
1:33.25
QF
3.
Katrin Borchert , Ramona Portwich , Birgit Schmidt , and Anke von Seck (GER )
1:34.13
QS
4.
Caroline Brunet , Alison Herst , Klari McAskill , and Kevyn Stafford (CAN )
1:36.34
QS
5.
Irina Samoylova , Galina Savenko , Irina Vaag , and Olga Tishchenko (EUN )
1:38.25
QS
6.
Belén Sánchez , Joaquina Costa , Luisa Álvárez , and Ana María Penas (ESP )
1:38.72
QS
7.
Hilary Dresser , Andrea Dallaway , Alison Thorogood , and Sandra Troop (GBR )
1:40.22
QS
8.
Hege Brannsten , Nina Bergsvik , Tone Rasmussen , and Ingeborg Rasmussen (NOR )
1:40.53
QS
The top two finishers in each of the semifinals and the fastest third-place finisher advanced to the final.
Semifinal 1
1.
Katrin Borchert , Ramona Portwich , Birgit Schmidt , and Anke von Seck (GER )
1:37.48
QF
2.
Irina Samoylova , Galina Savenko , Irina Vaag , and Olga Tishchenko (EUN )
1:38.56
QF
3.
Denise Cooper , Lynda Lehmann , Gayle Mayes , and Anna Wood (AUS )
1:39.81
QF
4.
Annacatia Casagrande , Amalia Calzavara , Chiara Dal Santo , and Lucia Micheli (ITA )
1:41.08
5.
Hilary Dresser , Andrea Dallaway , Alison Thorogood , and Sandra Troop (GBR )
1:41.24
6.
Bonka Pindzheva , Mariya Kichukova, Kinka Racheva , and Tanya Georgieva (BUL )
1:45.90
Semifinal 2
1.
Caroline Brunet , Alison Herst , Klari McAskill , and Kevyn Stafford (CAN )
1:37.86
QF
2.
Viorica Iordache , Claudia Nicula , Carmen Simion , and Sanda Toma (ROU )
1:38.21
QF
3.
Pavlína Jobánková , Jitka Janáčková , Vladimíra Havelková , and Ivana Vokurková (TCH )
1:40.12
4.
Belén Sánchez , Joaquina Costa , Luisa Álvárez , and Ana María Penas (ESP )
1:40.17
5.
Françoise Lasak , Bernadette Brégeon , Isabelle Boulogne , and Anne Michaut (FRA )
1:41.83
6.
Hege Brannsten , Nina Bergsvik , Tone Rasmussen , and Ingeborg Rasmussen (NOR )
1:41.88
The final was held on August 8.
Éva Dónusz , Kinga Czigány , Rita Kőbán , and Erika Mészáros (HUN )
1:36.32
Katrin Borchert , Ramona Portwich , Birgit Schmidt , and Anke von Seck (GER )
1:38.47
Agneta Andersson , Maria Haglund , Anna Olsson , and Susanne Rosenqvist (SWE )
1:39.79
4.
Viorica Iordache , Claudia Nicula , Carmen Simion , and Sanda Toma (ROU )
1:41.02
5.
Ning Menghua , Wang Jing , Wen Yanfang , and Zhao Xiaoli (CHN )
1:41.12
6.
Caroline Brunet , Alison Herst , Klari McAskill , and Kevyn Stafford (CAN )
1:42.28
7.
Shelia Conover , Alexandra Harbold , Cathy Marino-Geers , and Traci Phillips (USA )
1:43.00
8.
Denise Cooper , Lynda Lehmann , Gayle Mayes , and Anna Wood (AUS )
1:43.88
9.
Irina Samoylova , Galina Savenko , Irina Vaag , and Olga Tishchenko (EUN )
1:44.84
Hungary beat Germany (formerly East and West Germany) after finishing second to them in every major competition since 1988.