Women competed in Moscow from 23 to 26 August. Their event overlapped with the 1973 Summer Universiade that was also held in the city. Twenty nations nominated women to the competition, but only 18 nations had their women compete with a total of 53 boats (W1x: 14 boats; W2x: 11 boats; W4x+: 10 boats; W4+: 10 boats; W8+: 8 boats). At the time, there was an expectation that rowing for women would be included in the 1976 Olympic programme, and it was expected that women would compete at the 1974 World Rowing Championships. For that reason, East Germany had decided to put forward younger rowers so that they would have become experienced by 1976. Women competed over a distance of 1000 meters.