 The teams from the United States and New Zealand were regarded as favourites, but it was Great Britain that dominated the regatta, thus winning the nation's first rowing gold since the 1948 Summer Olympics, back then in front of their home crowd at the Henley Royal Regatta course.The 1984 event started Steve Redgrave's Olympic rowing success that would eventually see him win five Olympic gold medals.East Germany was the dominating country for the men's coxed four competition; since the 1977 World Rowing Championships, they had won this competition every year but for the previous world championship in 1983, when New Zealand claimed the title, displacing East Germany to the silver medal.