| Venue: Krylatskoe Sports Complex Canoeing and Rowing Basin. Distance: 1,000m. |
| Final A | time | | 1. Sanda Toma |  Romania | 3:40.69 | | 2. Antonina Makhina |  Soviet Union | 3:41.65 | | 3. Martina Schröter |  East Germany | 3:43.54 | | 4. Rositsa Spasova |  Bulgaria | 3:47.22 | | 5. Beryl Mitchell |  Great Britain | 3:49.71 | | 6. Beata Dziadura |  Poland | 3:51.45 | | Final B | time | | 7. Frances Cryan |  Ireland | walkover | | -. Mariann Ambrus |  Hungary | np | | Final C | time | | 9. Lise Justesen |  Denmark | walkover | | -. María Fernanda de la Fuente |  Mexico | np | | -. Hette Borrias |  Netherlands | np |
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| Semi 1 | time | | | 1. Sanda Toma | Romania | 3:42.63 | Fin | | 2. Beryl Mitchell | Great Britain | 3:45.88 | Fin | | 3. Beata Dziadura | Poland | 3:49.06 | Fin | | 4. Frances Cryan | Ireland | 3:49.22 | FB | | Semi 2 | time | | | 1. Martina Schröter | East Germany | 3:42.97 | Fin | | 2. Antonina Makhina | Soviet Union | 3:43.68 | Fin | | 3. Rositsa Spasova | Bulgaria | 3:47.86 | Fin | | 4. Mariann Ambrus | Hungary | DNF | FB |
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| Repechage | time | | | 1. Antonina Makhina | Soviet Union | 3:54.10 | 1/2 | | 2. Frances Cryan | Ireland | 3:59.17 | 1/2 | | 3. María Fernanda de la Fuente | Mexico | 4:00.24 | FC | | 4. Lise Justesen | Denmark | 4:00.40 | FC | | 5. Hette Borrias | Netherlands | 4:05.39 | FC |
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| Heat 1 | time | | | 1. Sanda Toma | Romania | 4:07.20 | 1/2 | | 2. Martina Schröter | East Germany | 4:09.76 | 1/2 | | 3. Antonina Makhina | Soviet Union | 4:13.39 | Rep | | 4. Hette Borrias | Netherlands | 4:25.97 | Rep | | Heat 2 | time | | | 1. Beryl Mitchell | Great Britain | 4:05.72 | 1/2 | | 2. Mariann Ambrus | Hungary | 4:09.55 | 1/2 | | 3. Lise Justesen | Denmark | 4:11.94 | Rep | | 4. Frances Cryan | Ireland | 4:12.16 | Rep | | Heat3 | time | | | 1. Rositsa Spasova | Bulgaria | 4:01.33 | 1/2 | | 2. Beata Dziadura | Poland | 4:02.11 | 1/2 | | 3. María Fernanda de la Fuente | Mexico | 4:12.84 | Rep |
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| Final Ranking | Heath | Repech | Semi | Final | | 1. Sanda Toma | Romania | 4:07.20 | bye | 3:42.63 | 3:40.69 | | 2. Antonina Makhina | Soviet Union | 4:13.39 | 3:54.10 | 3:43.68 | 3:41.65 | | 3. Martina Schröter | East Germany | 4:09.76 | bye | 3:42.97 | 3:43.54 | | 4. Rositsa Spasova | Bulgaria | 4:01.33 | bye | 3:47.86 | 3:47.22 | | 5. Beryl Mitchell | Great Britain | 4:05.72 | bye | 3:45.88 | 3:49.71 | | 6. Beata Dziadura | Poland | 4:02.11 | bye | 3:49.06 | 3:51.45 | | 7. Frances Cryan | Ireland | 4:12.16 | 3:59.17 | 3:49.22 | walkover B | | -. Mariann Ambrus | Hungary | 4:09.55 | bye | DNF | np B | | 9. Lise Justesen | Denmark | 4:11.94 | 4:00.40 | | walkover C | | -. María Fernanda de la Fuente | Mexico | 4:12.84 | 4:00.24 | | np C | | -. Hette Borrias | Netherlands | 4:25.97 | 4:05.39 | | np C |
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