| pos. | code | crew stroke | lane | finish | qualification | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | VBC | Bob Borberg | [5] | 03:18.48 | (1) | FA |
| Vesper Boat Club | ||||||
| 2. | LBRA | Chris Palmquist | [4] | 03:24.30 | (2) | FA |
| Long Beach Rowing Association | +5.82 | |||||
| 3. | MBC | James Dundon | [3] | 03:25.08 | (3) | FA |
| Minnesota Boat Club | +6.60 | |||||
| 4. | ENRC | Frank Levy | [2] | 03:26.26 | (4) | |
| Ex Nemo Rowing Club | +7.78 | |||||
| 5. | GCRA | Helmut Berthold | [1] | 03:30.02 | (5) | |
| Greater Columbus Rowing Association | +11.54 | |||||