| Final | team | time | gap | L | Y | | 1. Helene Madison |  United States | 5:28.5 | WR | - | 19 | | 2. Lenore Kight-Wingard | United States | 5:28.6 | +0.1s | - | 20 | | 3. Jenny Maakal |  South Africa | 5:47.3 | +18.8s | - | 19 | | 4. Joyce Cooper |  Great Britain | 5:49.7 | +21.2s | - | 23 | | 5. Yvonne Godard |  France | 5:54.4 | +25.9s | - | 24 | | 6. Norene Forbes | United States | 6:06.0 | +37.5s | - | 18 |
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Semifinals - Friday, 12th August | | First 3 from each Semi advanced to Final. |
| Semi 1 | team | time | gap | L | Y | Rk | | 1. Helene Madison | United States | 5:48.7 | - | - | 19 | 1. | | 2. Jenny Maakal | South Africa | 6:00.6 | +11.9s | - | 19 | 5. | | 3. Norene Forbes | United States | 6:22.1 | +33.4s | - | 18 | 7. | | -. Puck Oversloot |  Netherlands | DNS | - | - | 18 | -. | | -. Maria Philipsen-Braun | Netherlands | DNS | - | - | 21 | -. |
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| Semi 2 | team | time | gap | L | Y | Rk | | 1. Lenore Kight-Wingard | United States | 5:50.8 | +2.1s | - | 20 | 2. | | 2. Yvonne Godard | France | 6:00.1 | +11.4s | - | 24 | 3. | | 3. Joyce Cooper | Great Britain | 6:00.4 | +11.7s | - | 23 | 4. | | 4. Else Lilly Andersen |  Denmark | 6:05.5 | +16.8s | - | 17 | 6. |
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Heats - Thursday, 11th Augist | | First 2 from each Heat and Best 3rd time advanced to Semifinals. |
| Heat 1 | team | time | gap | L | Y | Rk | | 1. Joyce Cooper | Great Britain | 5:56.70 | +15.8s | - | 23 | 6. | | 2. Norene Forbes | United States | 5:57.80 | +16.9s | - | 18 | 7. | | 3. Yvonne Godard | France | 5:57.80 | +16.90 | - | 24 | 7. | | 4. Irene Pirie-Milton |  Canada | 6:22.20 | +41.3s | - | 18 | 12. |
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| Heat 2 | team | time | gap | L | Y | Rk | | 1. Helene Madison | United States | 5:44.50 | +3.6s | - | 19 | 2. | | 2. Maria Philipsen-Braun | Netherlands | 5:50.50 | +9.6s | - | 21 | 4. | | 3. Betty Edwards | Canada | 6:27.20 | +46.3s | - | 21 | 14. |
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| Heat 3 | team | time | gap | L | Y | Rk | | 1. Lenore Kight-Wingard | United States | 5:40.90 | OR | - | 20 | 1. | | 2. Puck Oversloot | Netherlands | 5:50.30 | +9.4s | - | 18 | 3. | | 3. Neville Frances Bult |  Australia | 6:03.00 | +22.1s | - | 19 | 9. |
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| Heat 4 | team | time | gap | L | Y | Rk | | 1. Jenny Maakal | South Africa | 5:53.90 | +13.0s | - | 19 | 5. | | 2. Else Lilly Andersen | Denmark | 6:05.10 | +24.2s | - | 17 | 10. | | 3. Hatsuko Morioka |  Japan | 6:07.40 | +26.5s | - | 17 | 11. | | 4. Ruth Kerr | Canada | 6:25.70 | +44.8s | - | 16 | 13. |
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