TORONTO (Reuters) - They have doubleheaders in baseball and think nothing of pulling double duty in tennis and golf.

Make a mistake on the ball diamond and a run might score. Fatigue might result in a double fault on the tennis court or a double-bogey on the golf course.

But on a race track such a momentary lapse could end in much more serious and painful consequences, something IndyCar drivers will be a keenly aware of this weekend for back-to-back races on Saturday and Sunday.

"It's twice as hard, I think that's the easiest way to look at it," said New Zealand's Scott Dixon. "It's physically demanding, mentally demanding, preparing yourself in your mind to know that you've got to do it again."

This year's IndyCar calendar features three doubleheader weekends (Detroit, Toronto and Houston), an unprecedented tweak to the schedule promoters hope will double the fun for fans.

But it will no doubt also double the danger for drivers, who are likely to spend as much time in Toronto hooked up to intravenous drips as they will strapped into their race cars.

Racing on a bumpy 11-turn 1.75 mile temporary circuit under a broiling Canadian summer sun that can exact a punishing toll on both drivers and machines, durability will be the key to success, if not survival, on the streets of Toronto.

"Since we already had one (doubleheader) in Detroit, we certainly understand how it works," said IndyCar series points leader Helio Castroneves. "But because we've been through one, we know it's not going to be the same.

"We don't have power steering, street courses are very bumpy. It is very physically demanding."

While motor racing is one of the world's most popular sports, there has long been a debate about drivers credentials as legitimate athletes.

Some of those views could change this weekend watching sweat-soaked drivers lift themselves out of cockpits on hands blistered from muscling 700 horsepower machines around an unforgiving layout that last year's winner American Ryan Hunter-Reay describes as a "concrete canyon."

Racing is a dangerous business and by most accounts back-to-back races have nudged the danger-meter a few notches higher.

PIT LANE GRUMBLING

But Derrick Walker, the IndyCar president of operations and competition, insists that driver fitness will be the least of problems team's face this weekend.

"I don't think that's a problem," Walker told Reuters. "They can do it. They train for it.

"Believe that won't be the weakest link."

While the prospect of racing on consecutive days is challenging, it is not unprecedented.

NASCAR drivers routinely race Nationwide series events on Saturday and return on Sunday for Sprint Cup races.

A few drivers have even attempted to run the Indianapolis 500 and the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 in Concord, North Carolina on the same day.

Teams will be under no less pressure than drivers to keep the cars on the track.

There will be little margin for error in Toronto where even a small mistake on the slick street circuit could take a car out of not only one race but two.

Adding more drama to the weekend will be the first Formula One style standing start for an IndyCar race since 2008.

"Hopefully there won't be too much carnage but there might be with the first standing start," said Michael Andretti, a winner seven-times in Toronto, and now team owner.

The doubleheader weekend was the brainchild of former IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard and paddock chatter maintains it is one of the big reasons he was ousted from the job last October.

Despite some pit lane grumbling, teams and drivers have tried to put a positive spin on the doubleheader format.

But the future of double race weekends beyond this season remains uncertain.

"Cautiously optimistic, not necessarily negative against it," said Walker. "I think logistically when teams know what they are doing they can work and organize themselves to be able to do it.

"But at the end of the day what is going to decide if we use doubleheaders or standing starts is, what the fan reaction is.

"If that is what they want to see, then we'll keep doing it."

(Editing by Frank Pingue)

The Blue Jays delighted a sellout crowd of 45,766 on Canada Day with their 11th victory in 13 games at Rogers Centre.

Coming off his two-hit shutout against Tampa Bay, Dickey (8-8) was sharp and won for the third time in four starts. The knuckleballer allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, striking out four and walking one.

Reyes hit a leadoff shot in the third against Tigers rookie Jose Alvarez (1-2). For Reyes, it was his third homer of the year and second in two days.

DeRosa added a three-run drive in the fourth off reliever Luke Putkonen.

Watson made the announcement during a news conference ahead of this week's PGA Tour event, the Greenbrier Classic in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, where he is in the field.

"Andy knows what it takes to close the deal and that's what we need on the Ryder Cup team," said Watson. "We need players who can close the deal.

"We've been discussing the players already back and forth and the types of young players who might make the team, the types of players that actually I hope make the team.

"I'm certainly happy to have Andy on my side and in my ear helping me make the decisions that will bring this Cup back home from Europe this time. It's been way too long."

The Americans will be bidding to end a run of seven losses against Europe in the last nine editions of the biennial competition.

Their most recent defeat came in Chicago last year when the U.S. threw away a commanding four-point lead heading into the final day in what became known as the 'Meltdown at Medinah.'

North, who won his only two major titles at the U.S. Open in 1978 and 1985, represented his country in the 1985 Ryder Cup at The Belfry in England where he lost all three of his matches.

"I was giddy, absolutely giddy over the opportunity to not only hopefully have a role to get the Cup back, but also to be able to help a dear friend," said the 63-year-old North, who has known Watson since 1967. "I'm looking forward to it.

"There's a lot of excitement to the Ryder Cup, and it means an awful lot to me. I've been lucky enough to cover it for ESPN, and I get emotional covering it.

"It's going to be a great experience, and the bottom line is we get a 'W' at the end of the week."

North, a three-times winner on the PGA Tour, has worked as a golf analyst for ESPN since 1993.

The 40th Ryder Cup will be played at Gleneagles from Sept 26-28 next year.

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Simon Evans)

* 77 year wait ended (Adds details)

LONDON, July 8 (Reuters) - Britain's ecstatic media trumpeted the end of the 'longest yearning in British sport' on Monday by celebrating Andy Murray's Wimbledon success on the front and back pages of newspapers and much of the rest as well.

"And of Hope and Glory," declared the best-selling Sun tabloid, next to a picture of the Scot kissing the gilded trophy on a sunlit afternoon in south London after beating Novak Djokovic 6-4 7-5 6-4.

"Finally, after 77 years, 15 PMs, three monarchs...Brit man wins Wimbo".

The paper devoted the first five pages to the first British winner of the men's title since 1936, along with an eight page 'Born to Wim' souvenir pullout and six more in the sports section.

Such unrestrained joy was the norm, with the more up-market Times and Telegraph throwing gravitas out of the window with page after page chronicling every detail of Murray's epic victory and back story.

"The History Boy," declared the Times, dedicating the first eight pages of the paper to 'Murray-mania" in another souvenir edition with a wraparound picture of Murray clambering through the stands to embrace friends and family as the crowd reached out to him.

"Heaviest of burdens is finally lifted to an entire nations' relief," added a headline in a further nine sports pages devoted to the first British winner since Fred Perry - and the first to win the title in shorts.

"At Last' read the front page of the Daily Telegraph sports section, which included a 12 page Wimbledon special, and the Daily Mail tabloid which offered readers a 12 page souvenir section and victory poster.

"After 77 years, the wait is over," was the Telegraph's main headline, with the 26-year-old Scot hailed as a "Colossus of the court who faced up to failures".

The Mirror declared Murray to be in 'Seventh Heaven', highlighting not only the 77 year gap but also the seven day age gap between Murray and Djokovic, Murray breaking the Serb in the seventh game of each set and winning his seventh grand slam final on the seventh day of the seventh month.

"It's magic as Andy exorcises all those demons of British tennis," it added.

On a great weekend of British sport, with the Lions triumphant on the rugby field in Australia, the Daily Mail focused on what might lie in store for the nation's 'Golden Boy' who also won the Olympic title on the grass courts of Wimbledon last year.

"Now it'll be arise, Sir Andy," declared the tabloid.

The Guardian joined in the celebrations with the single word 'Champion' on its front page over a picture of Murray, eyes closed, kissing the trophy.

"Scottish, British, who cares? Today he belongs to us all," declared another headline inside.

The Independent delighted in "A triumph never to be forgotten, an inspiration to everyone who watched."

Murray, added the paper, had secured his lifetime's ambition after a game "of nerve shredding drama...that summed up an unforgettable Wimbledon final, full of stunning tennis and with more plot twists than an Alfred Hitchcock thriller." (Writing by Alan Baldwin/Ken Ferris; Editing by Toby Davis)

My husband addressed the problem with her when I was pregnant, but now that the baby is here she's back to her old habits.

We are all sensitive to perfumes and get headaches when exposed to it. When she visits, we can't get away from the smell. I don't wear perfume, but was always told that "perfume is to be discovered, never announced." However, when I say that around her, she dismisses it.

What's the proper etiquette in addressing the perfume cloud that surrounds her? -- THE NOSE KNOWS

DEAR NOSE: I receive complaints about perfumes almost daily. Perfume "in abundance" can cause serious allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to it. And when they are exposed to it in enclosed places (elevators, airplanes, houses with storm windows, gymnasiums, etc.), it can cause real problems.

Your mother-in-law should be reminded again that her perfume is causing headaches and asked to please not use it around you. Depending upon how old she is and her sense of smell, she may not realize she is using as much as she is.

Women's perfumes and men's after-shave lotions and colognes can also cause problems at the gym. When people who are exercising begin to sweat, the smell can become overpowering and a nuisance to others. Scents that were applied the day before can turn rancid, so a shower before working out would be considerate if this could be you.

DEAR ABBY: I have a son, "Billy," who will be 9 soon. He was conceived through rape by a man who was physically, emotionally and sexually abusive, as well as controlling and manipulative. He threatened to kill me and Billy, but I eventually got free. I have a criminal no-contact order on him, and he has no legal rights to Billy.

I have raised my son without any knowledge of his father. I feel it would be cruel to tell him how he came into the world. My mother disagrees. She thinks it will backfire if and when Billy finds out. She points out that Billy has two half-sisters he doesn't know about. I don't like to keep that from him.

I need to protect my son, no matter what. But am I doing the right thing? I sometimes question what is in my son's best interest and that of our relationship. Please give me some advice. -- LIVING IN THE PRESENT

DEAR LIVING IN THE PRESENT: I'm surprised your son hasn't already asked about his father, because surely he must have questions. When Billy asks, he should be told some of the truth in an age-appropriate way. He does not need to know about the rape, but he should know that his father was violent, so for your safety and his, the courts decided Billy's father should not be in contact with the two of you. Billy should also be told that until he is an adult it will have to remain that way.

When he's older, he can be told that there are half-siblings. (I agree with your mother on that.) While you can't protect your son forever, you can keep him safe until he's old enough to process the information.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby ator P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order "How to Have a Lovely Wedding." Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former Congressman Anthony Weiner, attempting a political comeback two years after resigning in disgrace from the legislature, has taken the lead over his Democratic rivals in the race for New York City mayor, a poll showed.

Weiner has the backing of 25 percent of registered Democrats, while City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the early front-runner and a close ally of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, trails with 20 percent, according to Tuesday's Wall Street Journal-NBC New York-Marist poll.

Former Comptroller Bill Thompson has 13 percent, followed by Public Advocate Bill de Blasio with 10 percent and city Comptroller John Liu with 8 percent.

Weiner has shaken up the race for City Hall since announcing his candidacy on May 22. His resignation in 2011 had marked a remarkable fall from grace for a politician who was seen as a leading liberal voice in the U.S. House of Representatives and had been widely expected to run in this year's race for mayor.

Once a popular six-term Congressman representing parts of Brooklyn and Queens, he resigned from Congress after admitting he had sent a lewd picture over Twitter and then lied about it repeatedly.

Since entering the race, Weiner has presented himself as a champion for working-class New Yorkers and a man who has learned from his mistakes.

As recently as February, most city-wide polls had Quinn, who would be the city's first female and lesbian mayor, leading with nearly 40 percent of Democratic support. But since then, Quinn's support has seen a slow and steady drop.

The survey of 689 Democrats was conducted last week and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

(Editing by Eric M. Johnson; Editing by John Stonestreet)

BRASILIA (Reuters) - President Dilma Rousseff sent Congress reform proposals on Tuesday intended to make Brazilian politics more representative in a bid to recoup popularity she lost in a wave of angry protests against the country's political establishment.

Making good on a promise in the wake of the protests that rocked Brazil in June, Rousseff asked Congress to hold a non-binding national vote, or plebiscite, to see what Brazilians want changed. In the request, she listed broad themes that she wants to see addressed, including campaign finance reform, an end to anonymous votes by lawmakers in Congress, and a possible shift from proportional representation to district voting.

Rousseff's approval ratings have declined by 27 percentage points in the past three weeks, showing that the recent wave of protests sweeping Brazil poses a serious threat to her likely re-election bid next year, according to a survey by pollster Datafolha published on Saturday.

More than 1 million people took to the streets of Brazilian cities at the peak of last month's protests, fueled by frustration with deplorable health, education and public transportation services, a high cost of living, and outrage at the $14 billion Brazil will spend to host the 2014 World Cup.

The upheaval that paralyzed the country sent politicians a clear message that Brazilians want more effective and transparent government, with an end to corruption.

While the protests were aimed at politicians of all stripes, Rousseff's popularity took a beating and the president has insisted on holding a plebiscite to consult the people.

"It's a fight for more rights, more representation," she said of the protests on Monday.

"The people want to participate, that's why we are proposing a popular vote. The people must be consulted," Rousseff told reporters.

Other issues she suggested the plebiscite address include abolishing unelected stand-ins for senators. Under the Brazilian system, all members of Congress have "substitutes" that can assume their seat if an elected congressman steps down for some reason, such as accepting a Cabinet post. Rousseff also wants the electorate to weigh in on rules that allow lawmakers to be elected with votes from supporters of other parties.

Eighty-one percent of Brazilians supported the street demonstrations demanding changes, according to the Datafolha poll, which also showed that 68 percent of respondents back the idea of holding a plebiscite.

Rousseff's political opponents, however, see the popular vote as a maneuver to distract the country from the real issues of lack of investment in roads, airports, schools and hospitals, and regain support before next year's election.

Senator Alvaro Dias, leader of the main opposition party in the Senate, PSDB, said most of Rousseff's reform proposals - such whether to have public instead of private campaign funding - are dealt with in existing congressional bills. He said a hastily called plebiscite is an unnecessary expense for the nation.

"These are not the priority issues for Brazilians. This is a political distraction," he told reporters.

'THIS COULD BE A FIASCO'

The plebiscite also poses a risk to Rousseff. The main ally in her Workers' Party coalition government, the PMDB party, is balking at the idea and would rather see reform drawn up in Congress, which it controls.

"This could be a fiasco," said Andre Cesar, a political analyst at Brasilia-based consultancy Prospectiva Consultoria.

"There is a risk that the vote will not happen. Or worse, this could open a Pandora's box and Congress could decide to debate ending the re-election of presidents," Cesar said.

Rousseff still has an approval rating just above 50 percent and remains the favorite to win the election in October 2014, though the race now looks more competitive.

Some political analysts believe the plebiscite is not the way to recover lost ground. In their view, Rousseff should keep focus on curbing inflation and resurrecting Brazil's economy, which has been largely stagnant for the last two years.

Smaller protests continue around Brazil, but a catalyst for the massive demonstrations has gone. The Confederations Cup, a warm-up for next year's soccer World Cup, ended on Sunday.

Other challenges exist. Some of Brazil's main labor unions, seeking to take advantage of the tense political climate, are planning a day of marches on July 11 to push their demands, such as a shorter work week.

(Editing by Todd Benson and Stacey Joyce)

* Fires a seven-birdie 64 to take over at the top (Adds quotes, further detail)

July 6 (Reuters) - American Johnson Wagner moved a step closer to winning his fourth PGA Tour title by seizing a two-shot lead after Saturday's third round of the Greenbrier Classic at White Sulphur Springs in West Virginia.

One stroke off the pace overnight on a tightly bunched leaderboard, Wagner took over at the top as he fired a sparkling six-under-par 64 on a sun-splashed day at The Greenbrier's Old White Course.

The 33-year-old Texan, who played the course several times a year when he was a student at nearby Virginia Tech, mixed seven birdies with a lone bogey to post a 14-under total of 196.

"Today my goal was to go out and make as many birdies as I could, and I did that," Wagner told Golf Channel after sinking a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-three last and pumping his right fist in delight.

"Now I've got to take the same attitude into tomorrow."

Fellow American Jimmy Walker, seeking his first victory on the PGA Tour, was alone in second after matching Wagner for the day's best score, storming home with five birdies in the last nine holes.

Swede Jonas Blixt (67) was a further two strokes back at 10 under, a shot better than Australians Steven Bowditch (69) and Matt Jones (66), and American teenager Jordan Spieth (67).

American Matt Every, the 36-hole leader after opening with scores of 69 and 62, tumbled backwards with four bogeys in the first seven holes on the way to a 74 and a five-under total of 205.

RETURN TO FORM

Wagner, co-leader after the opening round, was delighted to maintain his long overdue return to form, having struggled for much of the past year. He came into this week on the back of six missed cuts in his previous seven PGA Tour starts.

"I had a boot camp with my coach about two weekends ago after I missed the cut by about 30 shots at Hartford," he said, referring to last month's Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

"We just got my game kind of back to where it was leading into Hawaii last season and I just feel more comfortable over the ball right now."

Wagner won the most recent of his three PGA Tour titles at the 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii. This year, he has missed 11 cuts on the U.S. circuit without recording a single top-10 in 18 starts.

"It's been over a year now that I have struggled ... luckily I am having a nice week this week," said Wagner, who has regained the ability to shape shots from left-to-right after working hard with his swing coach.

"It's all clicking right now."

Wagner made a fast start to the third round, sinking birdie putts from 10 feet at the first and the third to seize a one-shot lead.

He offset another birdie at the fifth with a bogey at the seventh but picked up his fourth shot of the day at the par-four ninth to reach the turn in three-under 33, one ahead of the chasing pack.

Playing near-flawless golf, Wagner rolled in birdie putts from eight feet at the 10th and from 12 feet at the 12th to move three strokes clear.

He did remarkably well to save par at the 13th where his tee shot struck trees on the right and his ball bounced down into the rough, taking two more strokes to reach the green before sinking a 22-foot putt.

Wagner parred the next four holes before making his seventh birdie of the day at the par-three 18th to stretch his lead to two shots. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Gene Cherry)

Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, the central figure in the trial that followed a probe into a doping ring in cycling, was given a one-year prison term last month for endangering public health.

The judge ordered the destruction of evidence including bags of blood possibly belonging to athletes from sports other than cycling.

The decision disappointed sports and anti-doping bodies, denting hopes that the case would unmask other athletes involved in illegal doping, and prompted widespread condemnation.

"The UCI can confirm that it will appeal the decision...not to release to the UCI and other anti-doping organizations the more than 200 bags of blood and other evidence gathered in police raids in 2006, which were presented in the trial of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes," the UCI said in a statement.

The Spanish Anti-Doping organisation (AEA) has already decided to appeal against the decision, while the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has until May 17 to make a decision.

Fuentes, who protested his innocence, said in his opening testimony that he had clients in sports including soccer, tennis, athletics and boxing.

(Writing by Gregory Blachier; Editing by Clare Fallon)

The Sunday Times had reported that Singapore's sovereign wealth fund made a preliminary approach to the British government about buying part of its 39 percent holding in Lloyds.

A spokesman for Temasek said the company did not comment on market speculation. UK Financial Investments (UKFI), which manages the government's bank stakes, and Lloyds also declined to comment.

Britain is kicking off the process to sell its interest in Lloyds worth an estimated 20 billion pounds, with advisers asked to pitch by Monday for the job of handling the sale.

One of the sources told Reuters the government had received a number of tentative enquiries about the sale, including from overseas investors.

Among the bidders when the process starts formally could be former Standard Chartered chief executive Mervyn Davies. Sky News reported on Saturday that he was forming a consortium of sovereign wealth funds and financial institutions to buy as much as half of Britain's Lloyds stake.

Temasek could emerge as part of a Davies-led consortium given comments it made recently about future investments.

"We are ... seeing increasing opportunities in the United States and Europe that are beneficiaries of the growth in other geographies, and are likely to step up our pace of investments in these markets," Temasek said in its annual review on Thursday. ($1 = 0.6719 British pounds)

(Reporting by Sarah Young and Matt Scuffham; additional reporting by Saeed Hassan; editing by Tom Pfeiffer)