In reply to gkrgeorge:
I had that happen. I think it comes down to surface corrosion of the poles if stored folded. The expansion of the metal effectively seizes them up. I solved it by placing some teflon lubricant at the interface then leaving them upside down for 24hrs so it would seep in. I then grabbed the two ends of the poles with pliers and wriggled it loose (after much effort).
Good luck.