| 1 | Beth Heiden (Neo) | USA | 4:32.60 | NR, TR | - |
| 2 | Ria Visser (A1) | NED | 4:34.54 | NRJ, NR, TRJ | +1.940 |
| 3 | Mary Docter (A2) | USA | 4:36.68 | NRJ | +4.080 |
| 4 | Sarah Docter (B1) | USA | 4:39.99 | NRJ | +7.390 |
| 5 | Marion Hoch (Senior) | GDR | 4:40.81 | SB | +8.210 |
| 6 | Sylvia Burka (Senior) | CAN | 4:42.22 | | +9.620 |
| 7 | Brenda Webster (A1) | CAN | 4:43.14 | SB | +10.540 |
| 8 | Joke van Rijssel (Senior) | NED | 4:43.69 | SB | +11.090 |
| 9 | Sijtje van der Lende (M30) | NED | 4:44.46 | SB | +11.860 |
| 10 | Pat Durnin (Neo) | CAN | 4:44.58 | PB | +11.980 |
| 11 | Miyoshi Kato (B2) | JPN | 4:46.29 | NRJ, NR | +13.690 |
| 12 | Cathy Turnbull (Neo) | CAN | 4:48.34 | PB | +15.740 |
| 13 | Anneli Repola-Risku (Senior) | FIN | 4:48.58 | | +15.980 |
| 14 | Ineke Kooiman-van Homoet (Senior) | NED | 4:48.92 | SB | +16.320 |
| 15 | Ina Steenbruggen (Senior) | NED | 4:49.14 | | +16.540 |
| 16 | Sophie Piest-Westenbroek (M30) | NED | 4:50.25 | SB | +17.650 |
| 17 | Kathy Vogt (Neo) | CAN | 4:54.54 | | +21.940 |
| 18 | Elisabeth Appleby (Neo) | CAN | 4:57.64 | | +25.040 |
| 19 | Dolores Gysin-Lier (Neo) | SUI | 4:57.79 | | +25.190 |
| 20 | Kim Kostron (Neo) | USA | 4:58.73 | | +26.130 |
| 21 | Sylvie Daigle (B2) | CAN | 5:03.24 | SB | +30.640 |
| 22 | Linda Schalch (A1) | SUI | 5:22.49 | PB | +49.890 |