Rowing at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's coxed four

Background

The Italian team was regarded as the slight favourite for the event; they had won gold at the European Rowing Championships in 1949, silver in 1950, and gold again in 1951, with the team having changed between competitions. Of the New Zealand team that had won the 1950 British Empire Games, three rowers were in the 1952 Olympic event: Ted Johnson, John O'Brien, and Colin Johnstone. The Danish team was made up of the 1950 European Rowing Championships winners: Niels Kristensen, Ove Nielsen, Peter Hansen, Bent Blach Petersen, and Eivin Kristensen. The New Zealand and Italian team met in the repechage and New Zealand was eliminated. The Czechoslovakian team dominated the competition and won every round. In the final, they defeated the Swizz quad, while the team from the USA—the winners of the 1948 Olympic competition—won bronze.

Based on a previous decision, each boat raced a minimum of two races before it could be eliminated.

Heats

Four heats were rowed on 20 July. Three of the heats had four teams and one had five teams, with the first two teams to qualify for the semi-final, and the remaining teams progressing to the round one repechage.

Round one repechage

Three heats were rowed in the round one repechage on 21 July, with the first team to qualify for the semi-final repechage.

Semi-finals

Two heats were rowed in the semi-finals on 21 July, with the first team to qualify for the final, and all other teams to progress to the semi-final repechage.

Semi-finals repechage

Three heats were rowed in the semi-finals repechage on 22 July, with the winning teams progressing to the final.

Final

Five teams reached the final, which was decided in one race held on 23 July. While conditions had been favourable on the first three days of racing, the day the finals were held saw wind at considerable force. This wind died down later, but the coxed four was the first race of the day and the results were affected by the strong wind.