The negotiations about the 1964 rowing competitions for men were even more protracted than usual as not only did a way forward for the 1964 European Rowing Championships had to be found, but rowing at the 1964 Summer Olympics two months later was also on the agenda. The negotiations were led by Willi Daume and Heinz Schöbel, presidents of the national Olympic committees of West and East Germany, respectively. In June 1964, West Germany insisted on one set of selection trials covering both the European and Olympic competitions. The tensions eased when it was agreed on 10 July that there would be separate selection trials for the two international competitions. It was agreed that some boat classes were to compete at a West German regatta course, and the remaining boat classes would meet at an East German venue. Four boats would start per race, with two for each country. The winning country would then be free to nominate rowers of their choice for that boat class, i.e. not necessarily those rowers who had won the race. Compared to the women, the situation was opposite, with West German rowers historically dominant; in 1963, they had won all boat classes.
