It's all coming together for Team Ireland as they head to world jigsaw championships
While other gym-goers are working up a sweat for marathons, Siobhán Quinn is training for something a little bit different as she counts down the days until the World Jigsaw Championships.The Tipperary native is a proud member of the Irish Jigsaw team who are facing their biggest challenge yet on the international stage.Siobhán’s fitness routine is part of her preparation for the annual tournament which takes place in the Millennium Dome in Valladolid, Spain from September 15 until September 21. Her teammates, including reigning UK and Ireland champion, primary school teacher Emma Quirke from Kerry, have been completing numerous jigsaws each day in the run-up to the contest.Siobhán told the Irish Examiner that the sport requires dedication and strategy as well as physical and mental training.
It doesn’t affect my hands, generally it’s my back that is impacted, but I do train and go to the gym to keep myself fit and my back strong for doing jigsaw puzzles.
Competitive puzzling or speed puzzling, is where participants — in individuals, pairs and team categories — are up against the clock to finish jigsaws at speed.Everyone receives the same puzzle and the first person, pair, or team to complete the task wins the challenge.The Irish team was formed after puzzlers from Ireland met at competitions abroad and subsequently set up the Irish Jigsaw Association.Leading the Irish team in Valladolid will be reigning UK and Ireland champion, primary school teacher Emma Quirke who is originally from Killarney, Co Kerry, and is based in Blessington, Co Wicklow. Picture: Dan LinehanIts dedicated team including its four core members — Julie Workman, Darren Quirke, Emma Quirke, and Siobhán Quinn — meet regularly, swapping tips and puzzles and participating in online speed puzzling sessions.“Everybody’s different when it comes to training,” Siobhán explains. “For me, it was my back that was getting a bit sore so I started doing weights and dead hangs in the gym and this really helped my back and core.“When you’re doing jigsaws you’re bending over the board for long periods so it can be quite intense.
The gym isn’t for everybody but that’s how I keep myself fit and ready to puzzle.
Siobhán’s passion for puzzling began during the pandemic when she saw a special offer on jigsaws in Easons.“They were selling three for the price of two and I got 1,000, 1,500, and a 2,000-piece puzzle that I still have today. I did all three in a very fast time. After that I started looking for other puzzles and it just grew from there.“I didn’t even look at 500-piece jigsaws until I discovered speed puzzling. If I’m spending money on a jigsaw I want it to last as long as possible. It just gives me so much joy to have the puzzle and to tip out the pieces and then complete it.”Siobhán has completed puzzles with as many as 5,000 pieces since beginning her training.“I only have space for the 1,500-piece puzzles. This meant I had to get a giant form board which allowed me to do it in sections and finally put it on the floor so I can view the finished piece.“I’ve been to Spain twice as well as the UK nationals so this will be my fourth competition.”And puzzling is not her only pastime.“I went through a phase of hula hooping, just because I love to dance and I’m into music. Just like with puzzling there is almost something meditative about it.
I used to read a lot but now I do puzzles while listening to audiobooks. You tend to lose track of time when doing puzzles because you’re not thinking about anything else.
Others who have represented Ireland in puzzling in the past include Ayelén Galarza Rial, who has been living in Ireland with her husband Franco for the last number of years.While the 33-year-old is travelling with the Irish team she will be representing her home country of Argentina in this year’s championships.Ayelén also started puzzling during the pandemic.“Jigsaws where I come from are very expensive. Then I found a community that was lending out puzzles.“We used to meet in the park to swap puzzles. The biggest jigsaw I’ve ever done has been 6,000 pieces. It was a picture of Venice that took me three months.“I planned to do a puzzle every day as part of my training but now I’ve found myself doing three a day.”The maths teacher said she is looking forward to the competition.“I most enjoy the pairs category because it’s a different challenge.
You have to communicate with each other and find strategies but the main challenge with the pairs is trying not to hit elbows.
I’m most nervous about the individual ones because the last two years I’ve been in the finals but the standard is getting higher and it’s going to be much harder to get there.”Ayelén, who lives in Dublin admits she was initially met with mixed reactions from friends and family.“The first time I told my family they asked me if I was crazy. However, as soon as they started watching me do it online they got why I was doing it and were very supportive.”
