▁took ▁place ▁at ▁Lake ▁Cas itas ▁in ▁Vent ura ▁County , ▁California , ▁United ▁States . ▁It ▁was ▁held ▁from ▁ 3 0 ▁July ▁to ▁ 5 ▁August ▁and ▁the ▁outcome ▁was ▁wide ▁open ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁Eastern ▁B loc ▁boy c ott ▁and ▁thus ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁the ▁domin ating ▁team ▁from ▁East ▁Germany . ▁The ▁event ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁the ▁team ▁from ▁Roman ia . ▁ ▁Background ▁East ▁Germany ▁had ▁won ▁the ▁co x less ▁pair ▁competition ▁at ▁every ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Mexico , ▁and ▁they ▁were ▁the ▁reign ing ▁world ▁champion . ▁The ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁had ▁won ▁silver ▁at ▁the ▁last ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁this ▁event , ▁had ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁World ▁Row ing ▁Championships , ▁and ▁had ▁won ▁silver ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁With ▁both ▁nations ▁absent ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁Eastern ▁B loc ▁boy c ott , ▁the ▁only ▁compet ing ▁nation ▁that ▁had ▁won ▁recent ▁world ▁champion ships ▁was ▁Norway , ▁which ▁had ▁won ▁the ▁title ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁The ▁competition ▁was ▁thus ▁regarded ▁as ▁wide ▁open . ▁ ▁Pre vious ▁M 2 - ▁compet itions ▁ ▁Results ▁ ▁He ats ▁The ▁he ats ▁of ▁the ▁opening ▁round ▁were ▁row ed ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁July . ▁The ▁first ▁three ▁of ▁every ▁heat ▁would ▁progress ▁to ▁the ▁semi - final s , ▁whilst ▁the ▁other ▁teams ▁would ▁go ▁to ▁the ▁repe ch age . ▁ ▁He at ▁