| Final | time | L | | 1. Valentin Kuzmin | URS | 2:10.2 | 4 | | 2. Horst-Gunter Gregor | GDR | 2:10.6 | 5 | | 3. Anatoli Skavronski | URS | 2:11.2 | 3 | | 4. Peter Feil | SWE | 2:11:6 | 2 | | 5. Folkert Meeuw | FRG | 2:12:9 | 7 | | 6. John Thurley | GBR | 2:14:0 | 8 | | 7. Giampiero Fossati | ITA | 2:14:0 | 6 | | 8. Matti Kasvio | FIN | 2:17:2 | 1 |
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| Semi 1 | time | Rk. | | 1. Valentin Kuzmin | URS | 2:12.8 | 1. | | 2. Anatoli Skavronski | URS | 2:13.6 | 3. | | 3. Peter Feil | SWE | 2:14:6 | 5. | | 4. Matti Kasvio | FIN | 2:15:5 | 7. | | 5. Antonio Attanasio | ITA | 2:17.0 | 9. | | 6. Dirk Besen | GDR | 2:17.5 | 11. | | 7. Joaquin Pujol | ESP | 2:19.1 | 14. | | 8. Jesus Roig | ESP | 2:20.1 | 16. |
| Semi 2 | time | Rk. | | 1. Horst-Gunter Gregor | GDR | 2:13.3 | 2. | | 2. Giampiero Fossati | ITA | 2:14:5 | 4. | | 3. Folkert Meeuw | FRG | 2:14:7 | 6. | | 4. John Thurley | GBR | 2:15:6 | 8. | | 5. Lutz Stoklasa | FRG | 2:17.4 | 10. | | 6. Dieter Kleisch | AUT | 2:18.5 | 12. | | 7. Bo Westergren | SWE | 2:18.6 | 13. | | 8. Keith Bewley | GBR | 2:19.4 | 15. |
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| Heat 1 | time | Rk. | | 1. John Thurley |  GBR | 2:15:0 | 5. | | 2. Jesus Roig |  ESP | 2:18.1 | 11. | | 3. Peter Lazar |  HUN | 2:22.1 | 19. | | 4. Demetre Karydis |  GRE | 2:33.8 | 27. |
| Heat 2 | time | Rk. | | 1. Peter Feil |  SWE | 2:14:3 | 1. | | 2. Valentin Kuzmin |  URS | 2:15.0 | 6. | | 3. Dieter Kleisch |  AUT | 2:18.8 | 14. | | 4. Per Arne Pedersen |  NOR | 2:24.0 | 21. | | 5. Ivan Pivovarov |  TCH | 2:25.1 | 22. | | 6. Joseph Meyten |  BEL | 2:35.7 | 28. |
| Heat 3 | time | Rk. | | 1. Anatoli Skavronski | URS | 2:14.7 | 3. | | 2. Matti Kasvio |  FIN | 2:15:7 | 7. | | 3. Lutz Stoklasa |  FRG | 2:16.9 | 10. | | 4. Jacek Krawczyk |  POL | 2:21.6 | 18. | | 5. Sepp Bittner | AUT | 2:23.8 | 20. | | 6. Patrick Schibll |  SUI | 2:31.9 | 26. |
| Heat 4 | time | Rk. | | 1. Antonio Attanasio |  ITA | 2:16.8 | 9. | | 2. Dirk Besen |  GDR | 2:18.4 | 13. | | 3. Joaquin Pujol | ESP | 2:19.4 | 15. | | 4. Bo Westergren | SWE | 2:20.2 | 16. | | 5. Pano Ceperonis | SUI | 2:20.5 | 17. | | 6. Louis Huysmans | BEL | 2:26.0 | 23. |
| Heat 5 | time | Rk. | | 1. Horst-Gunter Gregor | GDR | 2:14.6 | 2. | | 2. Giampiero Fossati | ITA | 2:14:8 | 4. | | 3. Folkert Meeuw | FRG | 2:16:2 | 8. | | 4. Keith Bewley | GBR | 2:18.2 | 12. | | 5. Youli Roussev |  BUL | 2:26.4 | 24. | | 6. Donnacha O'Dea |  IRL | 2:27.5 | 25. |
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