Each competing nation may qualify one boat for each of the fourteen events. The majority of qualification places were awarded based on results at the
2011 World Championships, held at
Lake Bled, Slovenia, in August and September. Places are awarded to
National Olympic Committees, not the specific athletes, finishing in the top 11 of men's events and top seven to nine of women's events, except in the eights where the first seven in the men's event and first five in the women's qualified. Further berths were allocated at three continental qualifying
regattas in Africa, Asia and Latin America and a final Olympic qualification regatta in
Lucerne, Switzerland. == Events ==