Competition consisted of three rounds: the heats, the semifinals and the final. All boats competed in the heats. The top three finishers in each of the two heats advanced directly to the final, while the top nine finishers from both heats moved on to the semifinal. The top three finishers in the semifinal joined the heats winners in the final.
Heats took place on August 18, semifinals on August 20, and the final on August 22.