| Final | Team | time | Rk. | | 1. Ulrike Tauber | GDR | 4:42.77 | 1. | | 2. Cheryl Gibson | CAN | 4:48.10 | 4. | | 3. Becky Smith | CAN | 4:50.48 | 2. | | 4. Birgit Treiber | GDR | 4:52.40 | 6. | | 5. Sabine Kahle | GDR | 4:53.50 | 5. | | 6. Donna Lee Wennerstrom | USA | 4:55.34 | 3. | | 7. Joann Baker | CAN | 5:00.19 | 8. | | 8. Monique Rodahl | NZL | 5:00.21 | 7. |
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| Heat 4 | Team | time | Rk. | | 1. Birgit Treiber | GDR | 4:57.39 | 6. | | 2. Joann Baker | CAN | 4:58.86 | 8. | | 3. Susan Hunter | NZL | 5:03.82 | 10. | | 4. Colette Crabbe | BEL | 5:06.87 | 12. |
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| Heat 3 | Team | time | Rk. | | 1. Ulrike Tauber | GDR | 4:51.24 | 1. | | 2. Cheryl Gibson | CAN | 4:55.30 | 4. | | 3. Monique Rodahl | NZL | 4:58.47 | 7. | | 4. Susan Richardson | GBR | 5:06.39 | 11. | | 5. Jeanne Haney | USA | 5:10.53 | 15. | | 6. Pierrette Michel | BEL | 5:15.86 | 18. |
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| Heat 2 | Team | time | Rk. | | 1. Donna Lee Wennerstrom | USA | 4:55.16 | 3. | | 2. Sabine Kahle | GDR | 4:56.85 | 5. | | 3. Lynne Rowe | NZL | 5:09.21 | 13. | | 4. Nataliya Popova | URS | 5:15.75 | 17. |
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| Heat 1 | Team | time | Rk. | | 1. Becky Smith | CAN | 4:52.90 | 2. | | 2. Judith Hudson | AUS | 5:00.25 | 9. | | 3. Anne Adams | GBR | 5:09.60 | 14. | | 4. Ann Bradshaw | GBR | 5:10.82 | 16. | | 5. Allison Smith | AUS | 5:17.51 | 19. | | 6. Nancy Deano | PHI | 5:34.89 | 20. |
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